Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents

Monday, 13, 2008 Volume 44—Number 40 Pages 1301–1333

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Addresses and Remarks Executive Orders See also Bill Signings; Meetings With Foreign Facilitation of a Presidential Transition—1323 Leaders Further Amendments to Executive Orders Hispanic Heritage Month, reception—1322 12139 and 12949 in Light of the Foreign National economy—1325 Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 Ohio, Cincinnati chapter of the Federalist Amendments Act of 2008—1317 Society in Cincinnati—1303 Radio address—1301 Letters and Messages Texas, White House press pool in Midland—1302 , message—1317 White House press pool in San Antonio— 1302 Meetings With Foreign Leaders U.S. summer Olympic and Paralympic , President Gasparovic—1321 teams—1307 Virginia, national economy and a question- Proclamations and-answer session in Chantilly—1309 —1328 Bill Signings General Pulaski —1328 - Nuclear Cooperation Day—1320 Approval and Nonproliferation National School Lunch Week—1327 Enhancement Act Remarks—1318 Statements by the President Statement—1320 See Bill Signings Communications to Federal Agencies Supplementary Materials Waiver and Certification of Statutory Provisions Regarding the Palestine Acts approved by the President—1331 Liberation Organization Office, Checklist of White House press releases— memorandum—1325 1330 Waiver of Restriction on Providing Funds to Digest of other White House the Palestinian Authority, memorandum— announcements—1329 1306 Nominations submitted to the Senate—1330

WEEKLY COMPILATION OF Distribution is made only by the Superintendent of Docu- ments, Government Printing Office, , DC 20402. PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents will be furnished by mail to domestic subscribers for $80.00 per year Published every Monday by the Office of the Federal Reg- ($137.00 for mailing first class) and to foreign subscribers for ister, National Archives and Records Administration, Washing- $93.75 per year, payable to the Superintendent of Documents, ton, DC 20408, the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Docu- Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. The ments contains statements, messages, and other Presidential charge for a single copy is $3.00 ($3.75 for foreign mailing). materials released by the White House during the preceding The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is also week. available on the Internet on the GPO Access service at http:// The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is pub- www.gpoaccess.gov/wcomp/index.html. lished pursuant to the authority contained in the Federal Reg- There are no restrictions on the republication of material ister Act (49 Stat. 500, as amended; 44 U.S.C. Ch. 15), under appearing in the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Docu- regulations prescribed by the Administrative Committee of the ments. Federal Register, approved by the President (37 FR 23607; 1 CFR Part 10).

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The President’s Radio Address gram is in effect for deposits in credit unions. October 4, 2008 And since these programs were instituted, no one has ever lost a penny on an insured de- Good morning. This week, Congress posit. The rescue package expands this pro- passed a bipartisan rescue package to address tection by temporarily increasing the amount the instability in America’s financial system. insured by the Federal Government in banks This was a difficult vote for many Members and credit unions from $100,000 to $250,000. of the House and Senate, but voting for it These steps should reassure Americans, es- was the right choice for America’s economy pecially small-business owners, that their and for taxpayers like you. I appreciate their money is safe, and it should restore con- efforts to help stop the crisis in our financial fidence in the health of our banking system. markets from spreading to our entire econ- In addition to addressing the immediate omy. And I appreciate their willingness to needs of our financial system, this package work across party lines in the midst of an will also help to spur America’s long-term election season. economic growth. This week, we learned that The legislation Congress passed provides our Nation lost more jobs in September. the necessary tools to address the underlying Under these circumstances, it is essential for problem in our financial system. The root of the Government to reduce the burdens on this problem is that, as assets that banks hold workers and business owners. And that is why have lost value, their ability to provide credit the rescue package includes relief from the has been restricted, making it more difficult Alternative Minimum Tax, which would oth- for businesses and consumers to obtain af- erwise increase taxes for 26 million taxpayers fordable loans. by an average of $2,200. And that is why it Without decisive action, this credit crunch includes tax relief for businesses, which can threatens to harm our entire economy. With use these savings to hire new employees and this legislation, the Federal Government can finance new investment. help banks and other financial institutions re- By taking all these steps, we can begin to sume lending. This will allow them to con- put our economy on the road to recovery. tinue providing the capital that is essential While these efforts will be effective, they will to creating jobs, financing college educations, also take time to implement. My administra- and helping American families meet their tion will move as quickly as possible, but the daily needs. benefits of this package will not all be felt Though the $700 billion dedicated to this immediately. The Federal Government will plan is a large amount, the final cost to tax- undertake this rescue plan at a careful and payers will actually be much lower. Many of deliberate pace to ensure that your tax dollars the assets that the Government will be pur- are spent wisely. chasing still have significant underlying I know many of you listening this morning value. As time passes, they will likely go up are anxious about the state of our economy in price. And this means that the Govern- and what it means for your personal finances. ment should eventually be able to recoup I am confident that the implementation of much, if not all, of the original expenditure. this relief package can begin to address those This package will also increase the safety concerns. I’m confident by getting our mar- of Americans’ personal finances. For 75 kets moving, we will help unleash the key years, the FDIC has provided insurance for to our continued economic success, the en- savings accounts, checking accounts, and cer- trepreneurial spirit of the American people. tificates of deposit. A similar insurance pro- Thank you for listening. 1301

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NOTE: The address was recorded at 1:05 p.m. on Anyway, thank you all. You’re welcome to October 3 in the Cabinet Room at the White pay the fee to go in and see the house. House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on October 4. [Laughter] In his address, the President referred to H.R. 1424, approved October 3, which was assigned Public Law No. 110–343. The transcript was made NOTE: The President spoke at 1:30 p.m at the available by the Office of the Press Secretary on George W. Bush Childhood Home Presidential October 3 but was embargoed for release until site. the broadcast. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of this address. Remarks to the White House Press Pool in San Antonio, Texas October 6, 2008 Remarks to the White House Press Pool in Midland, Texas It’s nice to be here in San Antonio. I’ve just had a very illuminating conversation with October 4, 2008 small-business owners here. We have a car It’s an amazing experience to come back dealer, a automobile repair shop, a to a place where you were raised. Laura was restauranteurs—two restauranteurs. And it’s raised in Midland; I was raised in Midland. clear that these small-business owners are I was—this is one of the three homes I lived dealing with the effects of a credit crunch. in, and I kind of remember it. [Laughter] And by that I mean that they’re having trou- ble getting money to be able to continue to The bedroom—actually, I do remember the either expand their business or to be able wood on the wall that—in the bedroom. to—money to help their consumers be able You know, I love Midland, and Texas. to buy their products. And it’s—and I told We’ve got a lot of friends here. I learned them one of the reasons why, you know, I a lot of values that I hold dear here. It’s good was so strongly for this rescue package was, to see mom’s—Laura’s mom here. And it’s inherent in the strategy of the rescue package the first time I’ve been back here since I’ve is to free up credit, is to get money moving. been the President, and it’s—it was just a And it’s going to take a while. I signed the very heartwarming experience. bill on—last week, but it’s going to take a You know, I’ve told my friends here, I said, while to get in place a program that, one, you know, I’m not going to change as a per- is effective; two, that doesn’t waste taxpayers’ son because of politics of Washington—that’s money—we don’t want to rush into this situa- what I said when I left. And I think they tion and not have the program be effective. appreciate that. I want them to know that, It’s going to take a while to restore con- you know, even though I had to deal with fidence in the financial system. But one thing a lot of tough issues, that I’m still the same people can be certain of is that the bill I person that they knew before and that, you signed is a big step toward solving this prob- know, I’m wiser, more experienced, but my lem. heart and my values didn’t change. A lot of people here in Texas and around And so it’s great to see our friends. You the country are not pleased with the Govern- know, we got a couple more hard months ment having to take the steps they took. to go, and, obviously, we’ve got to deal with Their question is, ‘‘I pay my bills, I pay my this financial situation. Congress took a big mortgage, why are you helping Wall Street?’’ step in the direction of at least giving us the And the answer is because had we not done tools necessary to bring some stability into anything, people like the folks behind me the marketplace. Got to get credit flowing, would be a lot worse off. We will make sure, of course, so that people feel comfortable as time goes on, this doesn’t happen again. about conducting business. And so it’s— In the meantime, we got to solve the prob- there’s a lot of work to be done. But it’s— lem. And that’s why people sent me to Wash- in the meantime, it’s good to come back here ington, DC. When you see a problem, put to where it all started for us. a team together and solve it.

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And I want to thank you all for your time. through this just fine. And so, I’m telling my I’m glad to be back here in Texas. I miss fellow citizens, like the three people I had my friends in Texas. I am—you know, people coffee with there in San Antonio, that this say, ‘‘Are you looking forward to coming plan is big for a reason. And the plan is going home?’’ Yes, I’m looking forward to living to take time to implement. And I—in the here, but in the meantime, it looks like I’m meantime, I told them to keep selling their going to have a lot of work to do between products and working hard. today and when the new President takes of- So I want to thank you for giving me a fice. But Laura and I are glad to be with chance to come and talk about judges, but our friends, and thank you for your time. before I did so I wanted to share with you Thank you all very much. my morning. And I’m sure you hear the same NOTE: The President spoke at 10:44 a.m. at Olmos thing—people are just wondering, are these Pharmacy. In his remarks, he referred to Betty banks going to freeze up? And my answer Garza, owner, Olmos Pharmacy. is, we got a plan to deal with it. And we got a plan to deal with judges too. It’s something I’ve been implementing for Remarks to the Cincinnati Chapter 71⁄2 years. And so today I want to thank Peter of the Federalist Society in and Chip Miller—happens to be the presi- Cincinnati, Ohio dent of the Cincinnati lawyers chapter of the October 6, 2008 mighty Federalist Society; Fred Finks, the president of Ashland University; Gene Thank you very much. Peter, thank you Meyer, the president of the Federalist Soci- very much for the introduction and the invi- ety, for giving me a chance to come and talk tation. about the judiciary. Laura and I are thrilled to be with you. I appreciate Ed Meese, former Attorney We have just come from Texas. I spent this General, for joining us; Paul Clement. The morning in San Antonio with some small- former secretary of State of Ohio; thanks for business owners. They were rightly con- coming, Mr. Secretary. And thank you all. cerned about our economy and their ability I understand there are members of the Fed- to get credit. They were wondering about a man they know who believes strongly in free eralist Society who are viewing this program markets, and wondering why I promoted a from afar, over the Internet. So we welcome significant piece of legislation to deal with you via the wonders of modern technology. what I believe and others believe is a signifi- Before Oliver Wendell Holmes took his cant problem, and that is the inability of seat on the Supreme Court, he met a sup- credit to move as freely as we want. porter who wished him well in his new du- And I told them, if I thought that the prob- ties. The supporter expressed satisfaction lem would be contained only to Wall Street, that Holmes would be going to Washington I would have taken a particular point of view, to administer justice. Holmes replied, ‘‘Don’t but I told them I was concerned about be too sure. I’m going there to administer them—just like I’m concerned about you— the law.’’ Holmes was trying to make clear and, therefore, proposed with the Congress what he believed was the proper role of a big rescue plan to deal with a big problem. judges: to apply the laws as written, and not I believe that this plan will work over time. to advance their own agendas. He knew that I signed the bill on Friday. It’s going to take it was up to elected officials, not appointed time for the Treasury Department to put a judges, to represent the popular will. plan in place that won’t waste your money Our Founders gave the judicial branch and that will achieve the objective. enormous power. It’s the only branch of Gov- I believe in the long run this economy is ernment whose officers are unelected. That going to be just fine. It’s a resilient economy; means judges on the Federal bench must ex- it’s a productive economy with good workers. ercise their power prudently, cautiously, or This is a reminder that we have been through some might even say, conservatively. [Laugh- tough times before, and we’re going to come ter] And that means that the selection and

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confirmation of good judges should be a high And then there was another side, which priority for every citizen. I happened to be a part of, that said we need- We’ve seen the profound impact that ed judges who believed that the Constitution judges can have on the daily lives of every means what it says. When asked if I had any citizen. We saw the power of judges in 2002, idea in mind of the kinds of judges I would when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals de- appoint, I clearly remember saying, ‘‘I do.’’ clared the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitu- That would be Judges Scalia and Thomas. tional because it contained the words ‘‘under Judge Scalia recently gave an interview on God.’’ the TV show ‘‘60 Minutes.’’ I don’t know if We saw the power of judges in the Kelo you’re supposed to call it a TV show, kind decision, a 5–4 majority of the Supreme of—[laughter]—newsworthy show. [Laugh- Court that ruled that governments could ter] He talked about the schoolchildren who seize people’s homes for private develop- visit the Supreme Court and proudly recite ment. The government decided the seizure what they had been taught about the living was for the greater good. Constitution. Judge Scalia noted that he usu- We saw the power of judges in ally had the sad duty of telling the children Boumediene v. Bush. There, a 5–4 majority that the Constitution was never alive. rejected the carefully crafted procedures [Laughter] He believed, as I do and many Congress established for detainees held at in this hall believe, that the Constitution is Guantanamo Bay in response to a prior Su- not a living document, it is an enduring docu- preme Court decision. And for the first time, ment, and good judges know the difference. the Court awarded foreign terrorists held And I made a promise to the American overseas legal rights previously reserved for people during the campaign that if I was for- American citizens. tunate enough to be elected, my administra- Recently, we’ve also seen the important tion would seek out judicial nominees who role of judges in the rulings of a very dif- follow that philosophy. We would search ferent 5–4 majority. We saw this last year, from a diverse array of candidates and nomi- when five members of the Supreme Court nate those who met the highest standards of upheld a law banning the grisly practice of competence. We would not impose any lit- partial birth abortion. We saw it again this mus tests concerning particular issues or June, when that same slender majority stood cases. Instead, we would seek judges who up for the plain meaning of our Constitution would faithfully interpret the Constitution, and upheld the rights of citizens under the and not use the courts to invent laws or dic- second amendment. tate social policy. And with your support, we The lesson should be clear to every Amer- have kept that pledge. I have appointed more ican: Judges matter. And that means the se- than one-third of all the judges now sitting lection of good judges should be a priority on the Federal bench, and these men and for all of us. I appreciate that many people women are jurists of the highest caliber, with listening today and here in this room have an abiding belief in the sanctity of our Con- worked hard to recruit more Americans to stitution. this cause. This work is in all our interests, The judicial philosophy that I brought to but the truth of the matter is, the belief in Washington, DC, is demonstrated most judicial restraint is shared by the vast major- clearly by the—some of the judges I have ity of American citizens. named to the bench—matter of fact, all the A lot has happened since 2000, yet I can judges I’ve named to the bench. [Laughter] still remember the heated debate over the One of them is the son of an Italian Amer- kinds of judges Presidents should appoint. ican—schoolteachers from Trenton, New One group said that judges ought to look at Jersey. He graduated from Princeton and the Constitution as a document that grows Yale Law. He worked in Ronald Reagan’s with our country and our history. This con- Justice Department, was the U.S. Attorney cept of a living Constitution gives unelected for New Jersey, and served as a distinguished judges wide latitude in creating new laws and circuit court judge. When I announced his policies without accountability to the people. nomination, this good man was hailed by

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Democrats and Republicans alike for his American Bar Association. Yet for more than keen mind and impeccable credentials. And 2 years he awaited a simple up-or-down vote America is well served by the 110th Justice in the ; he never got of the United States Supreme Court, Samuel one. For the first time in history, the Senate A. Alito. used a filibuster to block a nominee to the And serving with Justice Alito on the High Court of Appeals. This fine American en- Court is the former captain of a high school dured years of delay; he had his character football team who worked summers in the unfairly attacked, and ultimately withdrew steel mill to help pay for college. He received his name from consideration, all because a his bachelor’s degree from Harvard in just minority of Senators thought they would not 3 years and was managing editor of the Har- like his rulings on the bench and worried that vard Law Review. He later clerked for Wil- a President might one day elevate him to the liam H. Rehnquist, the man he would replace Supreme Court. as Chief Justice. At his confirmation hearing, Miguel Estrada deserved better. He de- this outstanding jurist put his philosophy this served a more dignified treatment from the way: ‘‘Judges are like umpires. Umpires don’t United States Senate. And the American make the rules, they apply them. It is a lim- people deserve better behavior from those ited role. Nobody ever went to a ball game they send to represent them in Washington, to see the umpire.’’ I was very proud to nomi- DC. nate for the Supreme Court a really decent Unfortunately, Miguel Estrada’s experi- man, and a man of good judgment, and that ence is not an isolated one. Many other well- would be Chief Justice of the Supreme Court qualified nominees have endured uncertainty John Roberts. and withering attacks on their character sim- Chief Justice Roberts was so obviously ply because they’ve accepted the call to pub- well-qualified that he received overwhelming lic service. Those waiting in limbo include: support from Members of the Senate, includ- ing many Senators generally considered to Peter Keisler for the DC Circuit Court, Rod be well left-of-center. Rosenstein for the Fourth Circuit, and doz- Unfortunately, the broad, bipartisan, and ens of other nominees to district and circuit timely support for Chief Justice Roberts has courts across this country. increasingly become the exception. Over the Some of these nominees waiting for a sim- years, the advice and consent clause of our ple up-or-down vote would fill court vacan- Constitution has been subjected to serious cies that have been designated judicial emer- abuse. Members of the Senate seem to em- gencies. While these vacancies remain brace the advice part; it’s the consent part unfulfilled—unfilled—legal disputes are left that seems to be the problem. unresolved, the backlog of cases grows larger, Perhaps the best demonstration of this and the rule of law is delayed for millions problem is the story of Miguel Estrada. of Americans. Miguel was one of my first nominees to the The broken confirmation process has other courts, and he had an inspiring personal his- consequences that Americans never see. tory. He was an immigrant from Latin Amer- Lawyers approached about being nominated ica who came to the United States with little will often politely decline because of the un- knowledge of English. He came to live the certainty and delay and ruthlessness that now dream. He studied hard, and he worked characterizes the confirmation process. Some hard, and he made his way to Columbia Law worry about the impact a nomination might School, and then Harvard Law School. He have on their children, who would hear their was a Supreme Court clerk. He prosecuted dad or mom’s name dragged through the po- crimes in the U.S. Attorney’s office in New litical mud. This situation is unacceptable, York, and he served in the Justice Depart- and it’s bad for our country. A judicial nomi- ment under President Bill Clinton. nation should be a moment of pride for When Miguel Estrada was nominated for nominees and their families, not the begin- a seat on the DC Circuit Court, he received ning of an ugly battle. And the confirmation a unanimous well-qualified rating from the process should befit the greatest democracy

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in the world, and not look like a bad episode Our democracy requires us to come to- of ‘‘Survivor.’’ [Laughter] gether and to get things done for the citizens It is clear we need to improve the process of this great . I’m confident we can for confirming qualified judicial nominees. do that. And I’m grateful that there are dedi- This process will always be somewhat con- cated people like you all who are working tentious. But there are a few things that the so hard to help us put good judges on the American people expect us to agree on. First, courts, and equally important, to help invest the American people expect nominees and the American people in the process. their families to be treated with dignity. I salute you for your good work. Appre- Nominees should not have to wait years for ciate the chance to come and visit with you. the up-or-down vote that the Senate owes May God bless you. And may God bless the them. American people. The American people expect their elected NOTE: The President spoke at 3:02 p.m. at the officials to do the job of screening judicial Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza. In his re- nominees. We should not cede to any one marks, he referred to Peter W. Schramm, execu- legal association the exclusive power to veto tive director, Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs, a nominee before he or she can make their Ashland University, who introduced the Presi- case to Members of the Senate. dent; former U.S. Solicitor General Paul D. Clem- ent; and former secretary of State J. Kenneth The American people expect the nomina- Blackwell of Ohio. He also referred to H.R. 1424, tion process to be as free of partisanship as approved October 3, which was assigned Public possible, and for Senators to rive [rise] * Law No. 110–343. The Office of the Press Sec- above tricks and gimmicks designed to thwart retary also released a Spanish language transcript nominees. For example, Senators have in- of these remarks. vented a new rule that bans the election-year confirmation of anyone not considered a con- sensus nominee, with consensus defined as Memorandum on Waiver of only the nominees they happen to choose. Restriction on Providing Funds to In the end, the people hurt most by these the Palestinian Authority partisan maneuvers are the American people. October 6, 2008 And that is not what our Founders intended, and Presidents and Senators from both par- Presidential Determination No. 2009–02 ties ought to say so. In Washington, it can be easy to get caught Memorandum for the Secretary of State up in the politics of the moment. Yet if we Subject: Waiver of Restriction on Providing do not act to improve the confirmation proc- Funds to the Palestinian Authority ess, those who are today deploying harmful By the authority vested in me as President tactics and maneuvers to thwart nominees by the Constitution and the laws of the will sooner or later find the tables turned. United States of America, including section There are things more important, even in 650(b) of the Department of State, Foreign Washington, than politics as usual. Operations, and Related Programs Appro- Next month, the Senate will hold a lame priations Act, 2008 (Division J, Public Law duck session to finish their legislative busi- 110–161) (the ‘‘Act’’), as carried forward ness for the year. One item that should be under section 1417 of the Supplemental Ap- at the top of their agenda is a long list of propriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110–252) qualified judicial nominees still waiting for (the ‘‘Supplemental’’), I hereby certify that Senate action. If Democrats truly seek a it is important to the national security inter- more productive and cooperative relation- ests of the United States to waive the provi- ship in Washington, then they have a perfect sions of section 650(a) of the Act, as carried opportunity to prove it, by giving these nomi- forward under the Supplemental, in order to nees the up-or-down vote they deserve. provide funds appropriated for fiscal year 2009 under the heading Economic Support * White House correction. Funds to the Palestinian Authority.

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You are directed to transmit this deter- to the people surrounding me. [Laughter] mination to the Congress, with a report pur- And so we urge our fellow citizens to look suant to section 650(d) of the Act, as carried at these guidelines and to take time out of forward under the Supplemental, and to pub- your days to exercise. Now, not every one lish the determination in the Federal Reg- of you has to ride a mountain bike, but if ister. you walk just 20 minutes a day you’ll help George W. Bush America and help yourself. Attending the Beijing Olympics was one [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, of the great experiences of our lifetime. 8:45 a.m., October 14, 2008] Laura and I had a fantastic experience. We will never forget the first night at the Bird’s NOTE: This memorandum will be published in the Federal Register on October 15. Nest for the spectacular opening ceremony. When the Team USA was announced, there was a notable increase in the cheers. And Remarks Honoring the 2008 United then came the greatest sight of all—more States Summer Olympic and than 500 America’s—of America’s finest ath- Paralympic Teams letes marching behind our flag, carried by October 7, 2008 Bernard Lagat [Lopez Lomong]. * It was an incredible sight, and I know it was a moment The President. Thank you. Welcome. that all of our athletes looked forward to, and Good morning. it’s a moment that we were so honored to Audience members. Good morning. share with you. The President. This is a special day for In the weeks that followed, our Olympic the White House. Laura and I are proud to team took part in the largest games ever held. welcome the greatest Olympic and Over 100,000 [10,000] * athletes competed Paralympic team ever assembled. And I bring in more than 300 events. An unprecedented greetings from the honorary captain of the 87 countries brought home medals. Forty- Olympic teams, President George H.W. three world records were broken. About 4.7 Bush; we call him 41. billion viewers watched the Olympics. I want to thank the members of the Cabi- And with the eyes of the world turned on net who are here, and the administration. I Beijing, our teams rose to the occasion. The want to thank the coaches and the team lead- Olympic team finished with the top medal ers, and the U.S. Olympic Committee leader- count of 110 medals. ship and staff for being here. We welcome But more impressive was the decency and the representatives of Chicago 2016 who are character that these Olympics brought on the here. Members of the U.S. Armed Forces; world stage. I know you worked hard—the moms, dads, girlfriends, boyfriends, sup- Olympics and Paralympic teams worked hard porters of the mighty Olympic team, we’re to get to this moment. Whether you won a glad you’re here. medal or not, it really doesn’t matter in the I do want to welcome members of the long run. What really matters is the honor President’s Council on Physical Fitness and you brought to your sports and to your fami- Sports—— lies and to your country. Audience member. Whoo! [Laughter] And we thank you for the lasting memories The President. ——including John that you gave us all. And so here are some Burke, the Chairman; Dot Richardson, the of the lasting memories that I will take with Vice Chairman—by the way, member of the me forever. First of all, the Water Cube— 1996 and 2000 U.S. Olympic gold medal soft- watching Jason Lezak touch out I think it ball teams. And the reason I want to mention was the French team—[laughter]—on the them is today the Health and Human Serv- 4x100 freestyle relay, and then watching the ices is issuing its Physical Fitness Guidelines, joy of his teammates, including Michael and there’s no better time to remind our fel- Phelps. low citizens that physical fitness will lead to a healthy America. Just look what’s happened * White House correction.

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People say, ‘‘Did you ever get to meet Mi- Laura, welcome and thank you for the exam- chael Phelps?’’ I said, ‘‘I did.’’ ‘‘So that was ple you have set. the highlight?’’ I said, ‘‘Not really; meeting So I spent a little time at the beach his mother was more of a highlight.’’ [Laugh- volleyball arena. [Laughter] I got to meet ter] She reminded me of my mother—plain- Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser. These two spoken and full of love. men are incredible athletes, and they—it was So, Michael, we congratulate you. We really interesting to be there to watch them thank you for joining us today, and we con- warm up. And then they introduced me to gratulate all the swimmers for the Olympic the Brazilian team and to the Italian team, team. and it was really a lot of fun—but not nearly And how about our gymnasts, Nastia as much fun as spending time with Misty Liukin and Shawn Johnson? What I found May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. [Laughter] interesting was that these champions were These two women are not only great ath- roommates while they were competing for letes, they’re really great people. And I’m just gold. And one wonders whether or not that so sorry that Misty May got injured on Danc- friendship would be damaged in the heat of ing for the Stars. [Laughter] God, if only she the competition. The truth of the matter is, had me as a partner, you know? [Laughter] it wasn’t. They showed the true Olympic spir- Except I can’t dance. [Laughter] But I wish it of being competitors in the gym, but being those—you know, it’s interesting, I read a friends in the dorm. And so we welcome comment from Misty May today. She said, these two champions here today, and we ‘‘Yes, I got hurt Dancing on the Stars, but thank you for setting such a good example. I’ll be back at the 2012 Olympics.’’ [Laugh- So, as you know, I’m a baseball guy, and ter] have come to admire women’s softball a lot. Audience member. Whoo! I also know that all of us were deeply The President. Yes. [Laughter] So I know touched by what happened to Hugh with us today are Finch, Duran, Abbott, McCutcheon and his family. Nevertheless, Galindo, Lappin, Lowe, Berg, and Watley— we were greatly inspired when the men’s members of the U.S. Olympic women’s soft- volleyball team rallied. They won an incred- ball team. ible gold medal against all odds to really help I bring this up because I really think that lift up the coach’s family and his spirits, as these women are an inspiration to young girls well as the whole Nation’s spirits. all across the globe, and the Olympics would I congratulate the men and women’s bas- be smart to keep women’s softball as a part ketball teams. You can just imagine what it of its program. And I want to thank you for was like when the men’s basketball team welcoming to your practice. asked me to get in one of their huddles right I also want to welcome today a fellow before the game against . I was like Texan named Laura Wilkinson. And at Syd- a jockey. [Laughter] But they brought a lot ney she stunned the world by taking gold. of class to the courts, both teams did. What This summer, she returned to the Olympic impressed me and Laura was that the men stage for the third and final time, and she were there cheering on the women, and the was fighting through injuries. But she women were there cheering on the men. brought such class to the arena. There was There was ample opportunity for people to never any of this, ‘‘woe is me; how pitiful ‘‘big shot’’ it at the Olympics; not our ath- is life.’’ She said she was honored to compete. letes. They were there for the right reason, She and her husband have returned home to support their teams and to support their to the great State of Texas to raise money nations—our Nation. for a new diving center in The Woodlands, Now, one of the things that we really re- Texas. In other words, she had put something gret missing was the—being in the Bird’s back into the community. And I urge all of Nest for the 13th Paralympic games. And we us, whether we’re Olympic—Olympians or congratulate the athletes who are here as not, to recognize the opportunity to make the well. We recognize your hard work, and communities in which we live a better place. we’re proud to call you Olympians.

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I’m particularly pleased to be here with volleyball head coach Hugh McCutcheon; and those who have worn the uniform of our swimmer Melissa Stockwell, in her capacity as flag country. On the America team were 16 men bearer for the Paralympic closing ceremony. He and women who served the Nation in uni- also referred to Deborah Phelps, mother of Mi- form, one of whom was Army Lieutenant chael Phelps; and Eriek Hulseman, husband of Laura Wilkinson. Melissa Stockwell. She lost her leg while serving our country in Iraq. Four years after hard work, 4 years after significant rehabilita- Remarks on the National Economy tion, she qualified as a swimmer. And her and a Question-and-Answer Session teammates elected her as the flag bearer for in Chantilly, Virginia the closing ceremonies. We welcome you, Melissa, and we welcome you all. October 7, 2008 Long after we leave the White House, The President. Thank you all. Thank you Laura and I will remember the extraordinary very much. David, thank you for the intro- spirit and kindness of the athletes that we duction, and thank you for the warm wel- have met here at the White House and in come. I’m pleased to be here at Guernsey Beijing. One unforgettable moment came Office Products. I want to thank all of you after swimmer Larsen Jensen won the bronze all for working hard to make this visit as com- medal in the 400 freestyle relay. When he fortable as it is. It’s not easy to host the Presi- was presented his bouquet of flowers, he dent; I understand. [Laughter] But thank you looked around the Water Cube and he made very much, David, for being an entrepreneur, a special delivery; he climbed into the stands, a dreamer, a doer, and for providing people and he gave the bouquet to Laura. It was stable work. an incredibly kind gesture—and by the way, It’s interesting to know that Guernsey is Larsen, our anniversary is next month if a trusted name throughout the Washington you’d like to go—[laughter]. He also told me area. You sell everything from office supplies something in private, where he said he looks to coffee products to furnishings. David’s a forward to serving our country. good marketer; he said, ‘‘Listen, I understand Our Olympic athletes have served our you’re going to be retiring here pretty soon.’’ country in many ways. But you have a chance [Laughter] ‘‘Do you need some furniture in to continue to serve. And we honor your serv- your new digs in Texas?’’ [Laughter] ice as athletes, and we look forward to hon- I met David at the White House earlier, oring your service as worthy citizens of our and I—it was my honor to welcome him to great country. the White House compound. And I appre- You amazed the world with your talent and ciate you welcoming me here to your busi- grace and sportsmanship. You’ve inspired ness. children to chase their dreams. You will be I know that small businesses like Guernsey champions forever. May God bless you, and around the Nation are feeling the impact of may God bless America. the financial crisis. And I appreciate you giv- NOTE: The President spoke at 9:33 a.m. on the ing me a chance to come and visit with you South Lawn at the White House. In his remarks, about what the Government is going to do, he referred to the following members of the U.S. how we’re going to address the challenge, Olympic and Paralympic teams: runner Bernard and how we’re going to get this economy Lagat; runner Lopez Lomong, in his capacity as back on track. flag bearer for the Olympic opening ceremony; There’s no doubt that people from all swimmers Jason Lezak, Michael Phelps, and walks of life and all aspects understand that Larsen Jensen; gymnasts Nastia Liukin and Shawn we’re having serious times. Families are Johnson; women’s softball players Jennie Finch, squeezed by the high price of gasoline, and Andrea Duran, Monica Abbott, Vicky Galindo, Lauren Lappin, Caitlin Lowe, Laura Berg, and feeling the pinch of food prices and monthly Natasha Watley; diver Laura Wilkinson; men’s mortgage payments. Workers are anxious beach volleyball players Todd Rogers and Phil about whether their paychecks will stretch. Dalhausser; women’s beach volleyball players Some workers are anxious about whether or Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh; men’s not they’re going to keep their jobs.

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We also know that we’re the most dynamic Similar stories play out not only in busi- economy in the world, that we have been nesses like Guernsey, but all across the econ- through tough times before, and that we’re omy. And if the credit crunch were allowed going to come through this time again. Our to worsen, the outcome would become much entrepreneurial system has delivered unpar- worse, with widespread job losses, and this alleled levels of productivity and growth and country could be in a—possibly a painful and prosperity. During my Presidency, we have deep recession. faced tough times after the terrorist attack So I decided to do something about it. As of 9/11, and we came through strongly. And you know, I’m a market-oriented person. I we’re going to come through this. No ques- believe markets ought to be allowed to work, tion the times are tough, but no question until I was convinced that this time the Gov- America will emerge. And yet, we got some ernment needed to act, and needed to act work to do, and that’s what I want to share boldly in the face of a significant problem. with you. So I went to Congress and I asked Congress The immediate challenge facing the econ- to pass a rescue package. And there were omy is a lack of credit. The problem became some tough moments in the negotiations, as clear when the housing market declined, and you might remember. Nevertheless, Repub- complex financial assets related to home licans and Democrats did come together to mortgages dropped in value. People put to- pass a good bill that will enable us to handle gether securities based upon mortgages, and this challenge head on. when the mortgages’ value went down, so did Now, the plan will provide the Govern- those securities. And this led banks that ment a range of tools to help banks rebuild owned the securities to suffer losses. And capital, for example, so they can help move then they found themselves short on capital. credit that will enable people to buy your Some banks have failed. And other banks, desks; that it will make it more likely people in reaction, have restricted lending to busi- are going to have less job insecurity. When nesses and to each other. And that’s the defi- you’re building desks and selling desks, you nition of a credit crunch: People just are not find work, and you keep work. lending. The bill ensures that responsible, hard- Nations around the world, especially in working Americans are protected. I mean, Europe, are facing severe credit shortages of one thing is for certain, we don’t want your their own. So this isn’t a problem just in the money to reward failed executives. There’s United States; it’s a problem that is world- oversight as the bill gets implemented. In wide. other words, people in Washington will worry To some people, the credit crunch might whether there’s too much power in the sound just simply like technical talk; it’s a Treasury; therefore, let’s have reasonable technical matter. But the people who work oversight. And I agree, I think that makes in Guernsey, you understand that credit is a lot of sense. the fuel that drives economic expansion and It temporarily expands Federal insurance; job creation. And here’s how: See, when bank and credit union deposits of up to credit runs dry in one part of our economy, $250,000—that’s important. In essence, it’s there’s a chain reaction. So you want to sell a safeguard for a lot of small businesses and a desk to somebody. That person needs to a lot of families. In other words, if you’ve borrow the money in the short term to buy got cash in a bank of up to $250,000, it’s the desk. And yet, because the credit has safe. The FDIC has never failed to make tightened, because of some banks aren’t good on its promise, and it won’t fail to make lending, a potential customer doesn’t have good on its promise. the money to buy your desk, and that affects These are urgently needed steps. They will you. So a lot of the talk that you’re hearing help bring stability to the volatile markets. about credit crunches applies directly to your They’ll help protect 401(k)s and retirement business here at Guernsey. It hurts your sup- accounts. And as the markets begin to sta- pliers; it affects the entire economy. bilize, it will help markets overseas.

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I have been in close contact with - that much, if not all, of the tax dollars will pean leaders—I was on the phone with them be recouped. this morning—to ensure that our actions are The financial troubles are the most urgent closely coordinated. We live in a globalized challenges facing our economy today, but world. We want to make sure that we’re ef- they’re not the only ones. And we’ll spend fective at what we do. Once we made the a little time talking about them, and then I’ll decision that there is a role for the Federal be glad to answer some questions, if you have Government to move to stabilize the mar- any. kets, we want to make sure that all of us move One pressing concern is, obviously, the in the best coordinated way as possible. cost of energy. The cost of energy affects Interestingly enough, the finance ministers families, but it affects businesses as well, like from the G–7 and other leading nations will Guernsey, which rely on energy to ship and be here in Washington this weekend to make make your products. High energy costs, obvi- sure that the response is coordinated. ously, are attributable to the high price of It’s going to take time for these actions oil and natural gas. And that’s why this ad- that I’ve described to you in the bill to have ministration, in working with Congress, has full effect. You want to make sure that when dramatically expanded funding for research we move, we move effectively. You want to into alternatives, including hybrid car bat- make sure that the plan is well thought-out teries, fuels like ethanol and biodiesel, solar and well delivered. Thawing the freeze in the and wind power, and safe and nuclear financial system is not going to happen over- power—safe and clean nuclear power. night, but it will be a process that unfolds The rescue package I signed last week ex- over several stages. And, obviously, the first tended tax incentives to alternative energy stage began last Friday, when I signed the sources. In other words, the rescue package rescue package into law. was just not aimed at dealing with the finan- And so the Treasury Department is mov- cial issues; it was aimed at dealing with the ing aggressively to implement the new au- energy issues too, to help encourage alter- thorities. In the meantime, the Federal Re- native energy so we become less dependent serve and the FDIC will use their powers on foreign oil. However, in the meantime, to help stabilize the markets. Just this morn- we need to be drilling. I mean, I’d rather ing, the Federal Reserve announced action us drill here than send our money overseas. to provide additional liquidity to credit mar- And we can do so in environmentally friendly kets. The Federal Government moved— ways. Congress responded to the will of the Federal Reserve moved to try to free up li- people by lifting the ban on offshore energy quidity so that this credit crisis begins to un- exploration, which is good. It’s going to take wind. a while to go through all the permitting and A few weeks from now, the main elements all the environmental regulations, but never- of the new legislation will begin to kick into theless, a step was—a positive step was taken gear. And as banks rebuild their capital, to become less dependent on foreign oil. they’ll be able to increase lending to each Another issue is home foreclosures, and other and begin approving new loans for fam- there’s a smart way to deal with that. The ilies and businesses. It’s not going to happen truth of the matter is, people—some people all at once; it will be a gradual process, and bought homes far beyond their means. Some it’s going to take time to have its full effect. people bought homes to simply speculate. As the banking sector and the market for But there’s also a lot of sensible homeowners troubled assets recover, the Government will who can make mends—ends meet with just begin to recoup some of the taxpayers’ funds a little bit of help, and that’s what we want. invested in the recovery. In other words, We want people—to help people stay in their some of these assets that were taken are at homes. And so we’ve created what’s called a depressed value. Homeownership—home- NOW, which brings together home- owners—home prices are down, the value of owners, lenders, mortgage servicers, and oth- the assets are down. Eventually, we expect ers to find ways to prevent foreclosures, to

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help people work through the current mort- we’ve exported a lot of goods overseas. Peo- gage issues. ple are buying our products. They should; I told you that mortgages were bundled we make great products, and we got great up into securities that banks bought, and as workers. Last year, about half of our growth those securities went down in value, it af- was attributable to exports, and so it makes fected the banks’ balance sheets. Well, inter- sense for Congress to continue to open up estingly enough, when you securitize mort- markets in places like Colombia or Panama gages and sell them, it means that the people or South Korea. Take Colombia, for example. who originated your mortgage is—no longer Most of their goods come into our economy owns the paper. And so a lot of people say, duty free, and yet our goods are taxed in Co- ‘‘Who can I talk to to help me refinance my lombia. I can’t understand why Congress home? Where do I go?’’ And so the HOPE wouldn’t want to at least level the playing NOW allowance—Alliance is an opportunity field for our workers, to simply send them to say to folks, here’s how you can find the a message: Treat us the way we treat you. ways to renegotiate your paper—renegotiate That’s all we want. Give us a fair chance so your note. And it’s working. we can export our goods. And by the way, we got another initiative Exports are a very important part of our out of the Federal Housing Administration, economy, and Congress ought to work hard and all these programs have so far helped to expand markets. We’ll work through this. more than 2 million Americans stay in their We’re taking aggressive steps. And it’s not homes. In other words, there’s an ongoing an easy problem. No question about it, it’s attempt to help people who need just a little tough times. But I am confident in the long help to be able to pay off their mortgages. term for this country. I’m confident that the And by the way, most people are paying off steps we’ve taken are bold and necessary. their mortgages, which ultimately means And more importantly, I’m confident in the these mortgage-backed securities, the value resiliency and the spirit of the American peo- that we may end up owning, will be re- ple and the workers. couped. And that’s why I say there’s a good This isn’t the first time the American econ- chance the taxpayers will get their money omy has faced challenges. And it’s not going back. to be the first time that we have in a recovery Every American knows the burden of taxes come out better, either. You got a motto here during the tough economic time, that burden at Guernsey that says, ‘‘No matter what your that falls especially hard. A lot of people are clients need, your answer is the same: We wondering whether or not their taxes are can do that.’’ That ought to be a good motto going to go up. One of the interesting things for the United States right now. We can do about the package I signed is that it does it. prevent the Alternative Minimum Tax from Let me—I’ll answer some questions. So, kicking in, which would have cost 26 million like—it’s hard to ask the President questions, Americans $2,200 apiece. During this eco- I know. [Laughter] nomic uncertainty, we don’t need to be rais- Yes, David. ing taxes. And so the bill was more than just the res- cue plan. The bill helped deal with Alter- National Economy/Small Businesses native Minimum Tax that would have kicked Q. Mr. President, your words are certainly in, that would have affected a lot of you in very reassuring. Every time we open up a this room. And the truth of the matter is, newspaper or we turn on the TV today, and I think Congress ought to send a signal when see all this impending financial doom—and they come back next year, and say, look, I think it’s enough to make people want to we’re going to make all the tax relief we dig a foxhole and hide under. What would passed permanent, so there’s not any doubt be your advice to the small-business commu- in anybody’s mind. nity, in terms of the actions going forward, Finally, we need to deal with exports. A to dovetail with what you’re trying to accom- bright spot in the economy has been that plish here?

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The President. Well, first of all, I would— make sure that this financial system doesn’t I think it’s, first, important to recognize what collapse, so you don’t get hurt. the problem is. And if a small-business owner And, listen, I understand America’s frus- is worried about getting credit to be able to trations, better than you can possibly know. roll over inventory, or to make payroll, my I went home out there to west Texas where first question as a small-business owner is: I was raised. Some old guy said, you know, ‘‘What are you going to do about it, President ‘‘Hey, man, what are you doing?’’ [Laughter] Bush?’’ And the answer is, one, recognize the And I said, I’m recognizing reality, that this problem and start freeing up some capital— is a serious economic situation that requires some credit into the economy to start strong government action. And that’s what unsticking it. we’ve taken. And it’s going to take a while. And the And so the answer to your question is, let’s truth of the matter is, until you see that credit give this time—give this plan time to get begin to get easier, you’re going to have these credit markets eased up so that normal doubts as to whether or not the Government business can begin. And it’s—you know, has got an effective plan. But I believe the there’s a lot of uncertainty and a lot of worry, steps we’re taking will free up the credit. It and I understand that. It’s one of the reasons took a while to get it frozen; it’s going to I came here to talk about the deal. take a while to get it unstuck. And the Fed Yes, ma’am. took a big step today. And my—the other thing is, David, is that, National Economy obviously, there’s something resilient in your Q. Mr. President, thanks for being here. spirit; otherwise, you wouldn’t have started And thank you for being on-the-spot for this business in the first place. And as you questions; this is a wonderful opportunity. I will—can testify, running a small business is am Georgia Graves, the president of full of all kinds of challenges. And it hasn’t Bridgman Communications. We’re a small- been an easy path to success. You’ve met business telephone company installing phone challenges before, and a successful systems in the region. But just as importantly, businessperson will meet them again. And I I’m chairman of the Dulles Regional Cham- know you’ll adjust your business according ber of Commerce. We’re a chamber made to the circumstances. In the meantime, have up of small- and medium-sized businesses. faith that this economy is going to recover We’re located here in the Dulles corridor. over time. And when it does, you’re going We know that this is one of the key places to be in a good position to take advantage in the country to locate your business. We of an expanding economy. are very proud that last week we hit the 1,000 I wish I could snap my fingers and make mark with members, meaning we’re the larg- what happened stop. But that’s not the way est chamber in Fairfax County. it works. And I told you, I made a decision What our board of directors would like to that is really opposite of my philosophy. I ask you today—on their behalf, today I’d like basically believe if people make bad decisions to know, what would you recommend and in the marketplace, they ought to fail. The give us as advice that we can do to help our problem is, in this case, failure would have members sustain the next period of time in cost you. What appeared to be something this economic climate? What would you ad- that might have been isolated in New York, vise us to do as a chamber of commerce? would have cost you the job. And that was The President. I would advise you—a unacceptable to me. week ago I would have advised you to write And that’s why I made the decision I your Congressman and tell him to vote for made. And believe me, I fully understand a the plan. [Laughter] Now I would advise the lot of small-business owners saying, ‘‘Wait a president to make sure that which you do— minute, I met the payroll’’—or people such that which the—the powers inherent in the as yourself—‘‘I pay my mortgage, I pay my bill, when we do something, they’re effective. bills—what are you doing?’’ And what I’m It’s interesting, I met with some of the doing is, I’m taking the action necessary to local business folks today. And a man wisely

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said, ‘‘Okay, now that you’ve got the plan, Yes, ma’am. You got a follow—that’s what where’s the action?’’ And as I said in my re- we call a follow up. [Laughter] marks, that we’re—we want to make sure Q. Well, I think it’s also important that that when we move, we move effectively as members that we learn to work together, and—so that the consequences are positive. and that we re-look at everything that we buy And so what I would do is, I would tell your and look within our membership, and that president to not be hasty and have a good all of us in America become partners with team of people put together a strategy that each other to help each other’s business, be- will address the root cause of the problem. cause we’re all in it together. In the meantime, I would remind people The President. Yes. You answered your that we have been through tough times be- own question very well. [Laughter] No won- fore. You know, one of the things I’m con- der you’re the head of the chamber of com- cerned about is the psychology of people. merce. [Laughter] They’re basically saying, ‘‘Oh, this is just too Yes, sir. tough.’’ The good news is in America we gen- erally don’t do that. The good news in Amer- Stock Market/Retirement Plans ica is we say, we’re going to deal with the circumstances, and we’re going to deal with Q. Mr. President, what do you think is them in a resolute fashion. going to happen to my 401(k) and other peo- But, you know, we’re just going to have ple’s retirement plan? to work our way through this. And it’s—and The President. I think in the long run I’m confident we’ll succeed. I really am. It’s they’re going to be fine, because the stock not going to be easy, because all this—every- markets will reflect real value. In the short body got kind of interwoven. And it’s hard term, they’re going to take a hit. to explain to people how this happened. The And so the question is, how fast can we truth of the matter is, the Government in get credit in the economy to get this economy good conscience tried to encourage people moving again? And there’s a lot of aspects to buy homes. But the problem is that the of the economy that are suffering right financial institutions in Washington, Fannie now—housing market, for example. A lot of Mae and Freddie Mac, just were basically people wonder what happened. Well, what unregulated to the point where they wrote happened was, they overbuilt—or we a lot of product that was untrustworthy over overbuilt—built too many homes relative to time. the number of buyers. And until that over- And, you know, the tendency in politics hang gets worked off, the housing market is is to try to blame somebody else—and I’m going to remain soft. The positive news is, certainly not doing this at this point in time— long-term mortgage rates are dropping. In but we did try to pass regulation that basically other words, money is becoming cheaper to said to Fannie and Freddie: Stay in your lane buy a mortgage. And over time, the housing and focused on your core mission. But that’s market will begin to recover. That’ll help the not what happened, and now we have to deal economy recover. Easing the credit will help with the consequences. And a lot of people the economy recover, and the values in the own this paper that devalued in value, which stock market will recover as well. is causing financial institutions to recoup. But no question in the short term, if There’s very little that you can advise your you’re—the value of your 401(k), if you’re members of until this credit crisis eases, be- in stocks, is going to go down. Question is, cause your members are going to be asking how fast can we recover this economy? I be- you, ‘‘What did he tell you about easing the lieve we got—I know we’ve had a very pow- credit?’’ Because until credit eases, it’s going erful economy. After all, we grew 52 uninter- to be hard for businesses to feel confident rupted months of job growth. And when we to move. And that’s—the whole purpose of recover, we’re going to have a powerful re- coming today was to tell you, one, we recog- covery—economy again. We’re a productive nize the credit problem; and two, we’re tak- country. We’re an entrepreneurial country. ing bold action to deal with it. The small-business sector is strong. And right

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now we’re in a tough, tough times, no ques- got yourself low interest rates,’’ but they for- tion about it. But you can’t convince me that got to tell them, in 2 or 3 years time that in the long run, that we’re not going to get interest rate was going to bump up, and it back on our feet again. And if anybody ever caught people by surprise. says that, they don’t understand the Amer- And we need to have a full analysis of the ican spirit. credit rules and—on how people are dealt Yes, sir. with, as well as transparency in the mortgage industry. But a lot of it has to do with finan- Credit Situation cial literacy. People just aren’t sure what the Q. Mr. President, and I’ve followed your language is that they’re dealing with. whole tenure in office pretty closely, and I I appreciate your comments on the rescue was pretty surprised that you signed the bill. package. I really meant what I said, that I’m But you just made a very strong argument a firm believer that if people make mistakes as to why you signed it, and you laid out the in the business world, that—if you make bad different—— decisions, that they ought to suffer the eco- The President. You sound like the guys nomic consequences. But the problem was, I grew up with in west Texas, you know. in this case, you would suffer them. [Laughter] My pals say, and I understand this, I fully Q. You really did a great job, because I believe this, that, ‘‘How can you possibly was—I really wasn’t convinced until I just stand there and let Wall Street do what they heard you speak. did?’’ Listen, people are angry about the fact The President. Well, thank you. that people look like they’re dragging out Q. Does anything in the bill or anything money when there’s failure. I understand that you’re working with right now have— that. I don’t mind rewarding success. It’s to simplify the understanding of the general when people make money on failure. And public, in terms of the Fair Credit Act, I think there’s going to be a—there needs passed in 1970, and the amendment passed to be a reassessment of these packages. in 2003, as to how people can understand There needs to be a reassessment of how credit? Because it’s very difficult to under- interconnected people get—people became; stand credit unless you do your homework. how they made promises that they were not The President. Yes, I’m telling you, it’s in a capital position to fix. really hard to understand credit—— Step one is to fix the immediate, solve this Q. I mean, yes, it’s just very difficult, and, thing. And step two is to make sure we don’t I mean, unless, you know, unless you know get tomorrow where we are today, without how to use the Internet very well, unless you creating a regulatory regime that inhabits— have the—you know, unless you have the am- inhibits small-business growth. And I think bition to do so, you’re not really going to take it’s going to be—it’s a real challenge. the initiative. And then that’s how you can But my immediate concern is solving get in a credit crunch, because you might today, is to make sure the plan—first of all, have something on your credit report or last week was getting the plan passed, which something that reflects negatively, and the happened last Friday—it may seem like a CRAs, the credit reporting agencies, they’re month ago, but it’s—[laughter]—last Fri- not going to do anything about it. day—and getting it implemented, and work- The President. Yes. No, that’s an inter- ing with our partners overseas to make sure esting question. I’m sure Congress will revisit the effort is as coordinated as possible so we the 2003 law. One of the things we pressed can be effective. is financial literacy, so that people under- And the definition of ‘‘effective’’ from a stand what they’re dealing with in the first small-business perspective is when you begin place. And I really suspect that when we dig to see credit ease. And we understand that. into the mortgage issue, that people were And we’re trying to move as quickly as we buying mortgages that they had no idea can to get credit moving in a way that people they’re going to reset. In other words, some- say, ‘‘Okay, now I see what they’re trying to body went out there and said, ‘‘Here, you do.’’

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Yes, sir. the kind of guy that was represented by the yes votes when they said, I’m worried about Credit Situation credit freezing; what are you going to do Q. First of all, I want to just say thank about it? you very much for understanding the impor- And so, what I’m trying to describe to you tance of credit. My name is Mike Gray. today—I hope I’m getting through to the We’re next door. The company’s called Ex- people listening, as well—is that we’re trying hibit Edge. My wife is the owner, Bev Gray, to address this guy’s problem, and trying to of the company. address small businesspeople’s problem all The President. That’s a smart move. around the country with something that will [Laughter] She just doesn’t want to talk in be effective when it comes to freezing up front of all the cameras, so you’re her spokes- credit. person. All right, you know what—yes, sir. About Q. Yes, sir. I just want you to emphasize to say I enjoyed it, but—[laughter]. how important freeing up credit is. The President. Yes, thank you. Insured Bank Deposits Q. I mean, just to give you some quick Q. Mr. President, is my bank account safe? numbers. We’re a $3.5 million company, and The President. Yes, it is, up to $250,000. we rely on a $500,000 home credit line to We went from 100,000 to 250. That is a very support our business, which means we have good question. You know, a lot of Americans to roll this money over six, seven times a year. are hearing these stories and they’re won- That’s how much we need this credit. And dering whether or not their money is safe. now the—we’ve got a notice or a letter from And you’re insured up to $250,000. We a bank—or from the bank that runs our cred- raised it from 100 to 250. And it’s just essen- it line—that says home values are going down tial that the American people know that the a little bit, and if you pay down your principle FDIC has never failed on meeting that obli- a little, we’re not going to give you quite as gation, and it’s darn sure not going to fail much back. And so our strategy is don’t pay now. it down, to keep it maxed out all the time. It’s—these are tough times, no question And so we’re comfortable now, and we’re about it. I know a lot of folks around the able to take care of our business by doing country have got questions. And part of ad- this. But it’s so important for you to empha- dressing these tough times is to, you know, size the need that small businesses have for is to focus on the core problem. And the core the use of that credit. And I thank you so problem, as this good man talked about, was much. You’re really working hard—— getting credit moving so consumers and busi- The President. Thanks for hanging in nesses have got the capability of realizing there. their—in the case of a small business, their Q. Absolutely. You, too. plans and their ability to grow and to meet The President. It’s also important for, ob- demand. And that’s what we’re—that’s what viously, consumers to be able to borrow we’re addressing. money to buy a car. It’s just—credit is what I thank you for giving me a chance to come makes our system go. And when credit by and visit with you. I love coming to places freezes, it creates a standstill. And when peo- where we’re on the frontlines of economic ple stand still, it just begins to shut down progress. The truth of the matter is, the the economy. And that’s why we’re moving small-business owner and the small-business as hard as we’re moving. And somebody sector really provide the backbone of the asked me: ‘‘Is it going to work?’’ This is the American system. You’ve been asked a lot best shot we’ve got. And it’s a big, bold move. during these times, but I’ve got great faith And it’s—I listened to a lot of smart people in the small-business sector. And when gov- about what to do. And it was a—hard for ernment gives you that—helps you get that Congress to swallow, because I understand capital you need, the small-business sector there’s a lot of skepticism about the Govern- is going to help us lead out—help lead us ment making a big, bold move. But you’re out of the situation we’re in today.

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I know that the days are dim right now Executive Order 13475—Further for a lot of folks, but I firmly believe tomor- Amendments to Executive Orders row is going to be brighter. And I thank you 12139 and 12949 in Light of the for having that resiliency and that drive to Foreign Intelligence Surveillance hang in there and help this economy grow Act of 1978 Amendments Act of 2008 and recover. God bless you. October 7, 2008 By the authority vested in me as President

NOTE: The President spoke at 2 p.m. at Guernsey by the Constitution and the laws of the Office Products, Inc. In his remarks, he referred United States of America, including sections to David Guernsey, president and chief executive 104 and 303 of the Foreign Intelligence Sur- officer, Guernsey Office Products, Inc., who intro- veillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), duced the President. as amended by the Foreign Intelligence Sur- veillance Act of 1978 Amendments Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–261), it is hereby or- Message on the Observance of Yom dered as follows: Kippur, 5769 Section 1. Section 1–103 of Executive Order 12139 of May 23, 1979, as amended, October 7, 2008 is further amended by: (a) striking ‘‘(7)’’ each place it appears For on this day shall atonement be made and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘(6)’’; for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins (b) adding after subsection (h) ‘‘(i) Dep- shall ye be clean before the LORD. uty Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.’’; and Leviticus 16:30 (c) by adding after the sentence that be- gins ‘‘None of the above officials . . Yom Kippur is the Jewish Day of Atone- .’’, a new sentence to read ‘‘The re- ment and the most holy day in the Jewish quirement of the preceding sentence faith. From the time the Kol Nidre is recited that the named official must be ap- until the Shofar is sounded, Jews around the pointed by the President with the ad- world will draw nearer to God through acts vice and consent of the Senate does of atonement, fasting, and prayer. Jewish tra- not apply to the Deputy Director of dition teaches that on Yom Kippur, God re- the Federal Bureau of Investigation.’’ members every name, listens to every peti- Sec. 2. Section 3 of Executive Order tion, and offers forgiveness to the repentant. 12949 of February 9, 1995, as amended, is On this day, Americans are reminded of further amended by: the great blessings of religious freedom and (a) striking ‘‘(7)’’ each place it appears the unalienable rights bestowed upon all peo- and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘(6)’’; ple by the Creator of life. May God grant (b) striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub- us peace, comfort, and hope for all the chal- section (g); lenges we may face in the year ahead. (c) striking the period at the end of sub- section (h) and inserting in lieu there- Laura and I send our best wishes for a of ‘‘; and’’; blessed day and a most meaningful fast. (d) adding after subsection (h) ‘‘(i) Dep- uty Director of the Federal Bureau George W. Bush of Investigation.’’; and (e) by adding after the sentence that be- gins ‘‘None of the above officials . . NOTE: An original was not available for .’’, a new sentence to read ‘‘The re- verification of the content of this message. quirement of the preceding sentence

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that the named official must be ap- I want to thank the Foreign Affairs—[ap- pointed by the President with the ad- plause]. I thank the leaders of the Foreign vice and consent of the Senate does Affairs Committees in the House and the not apply to the Deputy Director of Senate—Senator Joe Biden; Dick Lugar; the Federal Bureau of Investigation.’’ Chris Dodd, who’s with us; as well as Rep- Sec. 3. This order is not intended to, and resentatives Howard Berman and Ileana Ros- does not, create any right or benefit, sub- Lehtinen. I also welcome the Members of stantive or procedural, enforceable at law or Congress here on the stage who worked hard in equity, by any party against the United to get this legislation done. I appreciate so States, its agencies, instrumentalities, or enti- very much the contributions of two leaders ties, its officers, employees, or agents, or any who played an important role in crafting this other person. legislation, the late Henry Hyde and the late Tom Lantos. George W. Bush Other Members who’ve joined us—John The White House, Warner, Senator from Virginia; Eliot Engel, October 7, 2008. Democrat, House Foreign Affairs committee member from New York; Congressman Joe [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, Crowley from New York. I thank the mem- 8:45 a.m., October 9, 2008] bers of the administration who have joined us—Mr. Vice President, thank you. I appre- NOTE: This Executive order was published in the ciate the hard work that Secretary of State Federal Register on October 10. Condoleezza Rice did to bring this deal to fruition, as well as Secretary Sam Bodman at the Department of Energy. Remarks on Signing the United I am so honored here that—to have the States-India Nuclear Cooperation Ambassador of India to the United States Approval and Nonproliferation with us; Ambassador Sen, thank you for join- Enhancement Act ing us. And I appreciate very much the in- October 8, 2008 credibly efficient work of our Ambassador, David Mulford, and his wife, Jeannie; thank Thank you for coming. Welcome to the you for being here. You didn’t do so bad White House. Today I have the honor of yourself, Ambassador Blackwill—[laughter]. signing legislation that builds on the growing I thank the congressional staff who worked ties between the world’s two largest democ- hard on this legislation. I congratulate you racies, India and the United States. This leg- for the constructive work. I appreciate the islation will enhance our cooperation in using supporters of the U.S.-India Nuclear Civil nuclear energy to power our economies; it Agreement that are here today. All in all, wel- will help us work together even more closely come. This is a—it’s a big deal. to reduce the danger of nuclear proliferation Even though the United States and India across the world. are separated by half the globe, we are nat- This legislation represents more than 3 ural partners as we head into the 21st cen- years of hard work by a lot of people. I appre- tury. Both our nations emerged from a colo- ciate the work of the Indian-American lead- nial past to establish vibrant democracies. We ers from across the Nation. I thank the Mem- have welcomed investment and private en- bers of the for work- terprise to become leaders in the global ing hard on this piece of legislation. I’m espe- economy. We have stood against the dangers cially grateful for the leadership provided by posed by extremists, who have carried out Speaker Nancy Pelosi, John Boehner, Senate attacks in both our countries. We have dem- Majority Leader Harry Reid, and Republican onstrated that we cherish liberty, honor Leader Mitch McConnell, who worked hard human dignity, and respect the rule of law. to make sure this bill made it through both Despite these common interests and val- Houses at the very end of the session. ues, it was not long ago that relations be- [Laughter] tween the United States and India were

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strained. In recent years, we’ve worked to tion, my administration and Congress dem- transform our relationship into a strong stra- onstrate our common view that nuclear co- tegic partnership. One area where we saw operation is in the interests of both the tremendous potential for cooperation is en- United States and India. ergy. As our economies have grown, our de- The legislation makes no changes to the mands for energy have grown as well. It’s terms of the 123 Agreement I submitted to become increasingly clear that we need to Congress. It enables me to bring that agree- generate that energy in ways that are safe ment into force and to accept on behalf of and clean and secure. the United States all the obligations that are One energy source that can generate large part of the agreement. This legislation does amounts of electricity with zero emissions of not change the fuel assurance commitments air pollution or greenhouse gases is nuclear that the United States Government has made power. So 3 years ago, Prime Minister to the Government of India, as recorded in Singh—who I consider a dear friend—and the 123 Agreement. The agreement also I resolved to work together on a landmark grants India advance consent to reprocessing, agreement paving the way for our nations to which will be brought into effect upon the cooperate on nuclear power. By undertaking conclusion of arrangements and procedures new cooperation on civil nuclear energy, for a dedicated reprocessing facility under India will be able to count on a reliable fuel IAEA safeguards. supply for its civilian reactors, meet the en- This agreement sends a signal to the world: ergy demands of its people, and reduce its Nations that follow the path of democracy independence [dependence] * on fossil fuels. and responsible behavior will find a friend For our part, the United States will gain in the United States of America. The Amer- access to a growing market for civilian nu- ican people are proud of our strong relation- clear technologies and materials, that will ship with India. And I am confident that the help American businesses create more jobs friendship between our two nations will grow for our people here at home. even closer in the years ahead. Our agreement will also strengthen global Laura and I send our best wishes to the nonproliferation efforts. India has committed hundreds of millions of people in India and to operate its civil nuclear energy program around the world who will begin celebrating under the safeguards of the International the ancient festival of later this Atomic Energy Agency and other inter- month. As we offer our prayers for a happy national guidelines. India will continue to new year, we can be thankful that the rela- build on its strong record of responsibility tionship between the United States and India in operating its nuclear facilities. And India has never been more vibrant and more hope- and the United States will cooperate more ful. closely to keep the world’s most dangerous And it’s now my honor to sign the United weapons out of the hands of extremists and States-India Nuclear Cooperation Approval terrorists. and Nonproliferation Enhancement Act. The bill I sign today approves the 123 Agreement I submitted to Congress and es- NOTE: The President spoke at 2:24 p.m. in the tablishes the legal framework for that agree- East Room at the White House. In his remarks, ment to come into effect. The bill makes he referred to India’s Ambassador to the U.S. Ranendra Sen; U.S. Ambassador to India David clear that our agreement with India is con- C. Mulford, and his wife Jeannie; former U.S. Am- sistent with the Atomic Energy Act and other bassador to India Robert D. Blackwill; and Prime elements of U.S. law. By passing this legisla- Minister Manmohan Singh of India. H.R. 7081, approved October 8, was assigned Public Law No. * White House correction. 110–369.

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Statement on Signing the United Proclamation 8203—Leif Erikson States-India Nuclear Cooperation Day, 2008 Approval and Nonproliferation October 8, 2008 Enhancement Act By the President of the United States October 8, 2008 of America A Proclamation I am pleased today to sign into law the On Leif Erikson Day, we remember that United States-India Nuclear Cooperation son of and grandson of for Approval and Nonproliferation Enhance- his journey to , and we cele- ment Act, which approves the U.S.-India 123 brate the influential role Nordic Americans Agreement. The passage of this legislation by have played in our society. the Congress marks another major milestone Leif Erikson was among the world’s great- in achieving the vision that Prime Minister est and most daring explorers. More than Singh and I set forth on July 18, 2005, to 1,000 years ago, he led a crew across the At- transform the relationship between our two lantic to North America. Today, the same de- countries and to establish a strategic partner- sire to explore and open new frontiers in- spires our citizens and contributes to the ship. This act will strengthen the relationship strength of our Nation. between the United States and India and de- America’s friendships with Denmark, Fin- liver valuable benefits to both nations. land, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden are The legislation does not change the terms strong, and Nordic Americans have added to of the 123 Agreement as I submitted it to our rich cultural diversity and proud ances- the Congress. That agreement is consistent try. On this day, we recognize these individ- with the Atomic Energy Act and other ele- uals for their remarkable achievements in all ments of U.S. law. This legislation is impor- sectors of our society. America is grateful for tant as it enables me to bring the 123 Agree- the many contributions of Nordic Americans, ment into force and to accept on behalf of and we continue to draw inspiration from the the United States the obligations contained courage and optimism of the adventurous in the agreement. Leif Erikson. To honor Leif Erikson and to celebrate The agreement grants India advance con- our citizens of Nordic American heritage, the sent to reprocessing which will be brought Congress, by joint resolution (Public Law 88– into effect upon conclusion of arrangements 566) approved on September 2, 1964, has au- and procedures for a dedicated reprocessing thorized the President to proclaim October facility under IAEA safeguards. 9 of each year as ‘‘Leif Erikson Day.’’ In addition, the legislation does not change Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, the fuel assurance commitments that the President of the United States of America, U.S. Government has made to the Govern- do hereby proclaim October 9, 2008, as Leif ment of India, as recorded in the 123 Agree- Erikson Day. I call upon all Americans to ment. observe this day with appropriate cere- monies, activities, and programs to honor our The passage of this legislation reflects the rich Nordic-American heritage. common view of my administration and the In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set Congress as to the value of nuclear coopera- my hand this eighth day of October, in the tion and is in the interest of the United States year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of and India. the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

NOTE: The statement referred to Prime Minister George W. Bush Manmohan Singh of India. H.R. 7081, approved [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, October 8, was assigned Public Law No. 110–369. 8:45 a.m., October 10, 2008]

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NOTE: This proclamation will be published in the It was during his Presidency that President Federal Register on October 14. Bush supported Slovakia on its way to NATO, which in turn, helped Slovakia to be- Remarks Following a Meeting With come a member of the . President Ivan Gasparovic of These were two very important steps and de- cisions that allowed Slovakia to build its rep- Slovakia utation as a credible country. And it is this October 9, 2008 credibility that allows Slovakia to attract for- eign investment into our country. Slovakia President Bush. It is my honor to wel- continues to be a prosperous country and a come the President of Slovakia to the Oval country that has and maintains its credibility Office. Slovakia is an ally and friend of the in foreign policy as well. United States. And in my time as President, I have come to admire this President. He’s We talked about many difficult issues. We an easy man to talk to. He’s got good, strong talked also about the financial crisis and opinions, and I appreciate his values. about the steps that need to be taken in order We talked about a variety of subjects. I to overcome this crisis and to reinvigorate assured him that the United States will take the financial system. strong action in dealing with the current eco- I’m very glad that Slovakia and its economy nomic situation. And I also talked about our is currently in a situation where we will not common desire to have a—to work with our likely be taking a direct hit from this financial European friends to develop as best as pos- crisis. Slovakia is in a position where we’re sible common policy. able to mitigate many impacts of this crisis. During my Presidency, I was pleased to On the other hand, Slovakia is the world’s support Slovakia’s ascension into NATO. I largest per capita car producer. This means was confident that Slovakia would be an ex- that Slovakia’s exports and foreign trade will cellent partner and ally in NATO, and history suffer. However, we believe that we can take has proven me correct. And I thank the peo- steps to mitigate this impact. ple of Slovakia for supporting the Govern- ment’s decision to deploy troops into Afghan- I was glad that in my capacity as the Presi- istan to help that young democracy never dent of the Slovak Republic, I was able to again be a safe haven for terrorists, and to reassure the President that Slovakia will con- serve as an example of the transformative tinue to stand behind its commitments and power of freedom. its dedication to NATO, and that we will con- Finally, we talked about visa waiver. I told tinue to be present in Afghanistan. More- the President that Slovakia has made a lot over, Slovakia will increase the number of of progress on visa waiver. And I expect that troops deployed to Afghanistan by 100 per- in mid-November there will be a—you know, cent. a positive decision for the people of your In closing, I want to say that I believe, good country, Mr. President. And I congratu- Mr. President, our meeting today was a very late you and your foreign ministry for work- strong message of the good relations that Slo- ing hard on this issue. And I’m glad to wel- vakia has with the United States, and vice come you to the Oval Office. versa. President Gasparovic. Mr. President, allow me to start by thanking you for inviting I believe that this will continue—— me. This is an extraordinary day for me. And President Bush. Thank you. I believe it is also a satisfaction to the people of Slovakia for them to see that Slovakia has a favorable disposition towards our country, NOTE: The President spoke at 11:16 a.m. in the and that we have good relations. I believe Oval Office at the White House. President that in the history of our relations, we are Gasparovic spoke in Slovak, and his remarks were currently at our highest point. translated by an interpreter.

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Remarks at a Reception Celebrating Earlier this year, I proposed a new program Hispanic Heritage Month called Pell Grants for Kids, which would help October 9, 2008 low-income children in underperforming public schools attend a private, a parochial, Hola! Sientese. Bienvenidos a la Casa or out-of-district public school of their Blanca. [Laughter] Este es el ultimo ‘‘Mes de choice. la Hispanidad’’ que paso como presidente— Earlier this year, I met a very interesting y por eso, le dije a mi personal que hoy queria young woman at the White House Summit hablarles solo en espanol. Me contestaron: on the Inner-City Children and Faith-Based ‘‘Senor presidente, antes de dar un discurso Schools. The whole purpose was to help en espanol, por que no llega primero a these schools realize a comeback and make dominar el ingles?’’ [Laughter] sure our communities were able to have I am proud to be with you. I am proud these schools as a part of their future. The to be with current and former Latino mem- woman I met is a woman named Katrina bers of my administration. I want to thank [Karina] * Ramirez. She grew up in Chicago the ambassadors from the diplomatic corps neighborhood. It was plagued by gang vio- for joining us today. We’re proud to be your lence, and she had a tough time in school friends. I want to thank the members of the because she didn’t speak English. But at United States Armed Forces who have joined Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Karina re- us. I want to thank my friend Emilio Estefan, ceived a top-notch education. She received president of Estefan Enterprises. And I want real work experience, and she got herself a to thank Andres Cabas from Colombia, who ticket to college. Karina says, ‘‘My dad went is going to sing a couple of songs for us. from garbage picking in Mexico to having a Thank you and your band for joining us. daughter going to Georgetown.’’ Karina, Every year at this time, we recognize the thank you for coming. She is proof that el great contributions Hispanic Americans Sueno Americano es para todos. make to our country—and we should. From Economic opportunity is a promise of our coast to coast, people of Hispanic descent country. And the truth of the matter is, for enrich our culture and make our Nation a generations people have found opportunities better place. They serve in top positions in this country that would have been impos- throughout business and government. They sible in the places where they were born, and bring their strong values of faith and family that has made us a vibrant country, and it’s to our communities. My family is proud to encouraged entrepreneurship. Today, the have Latino blood—mi cunada. Jeb and I economy, obviously, is going through a very both married very well. [Laughter] Hispanic tough stretch, and that’s why the administra- Americans cherish the limitless promise of tion will work with Congress to pass a finan- our Nation. During the past 8 years, I’ve cial rescue plan. been proud to work with you to ensure que The goal of this plan is to free up the flow todos puedan alcanzar las promesas de los of capital to help all Americans get the capital Estados Unidos. and loans necessary to help weather these One promise is good education. I mean, difficult times. Part of the plan is to free up you can’t have a hopeful nation unless you’ve capital for small businesses. After all, small got a good education system. And so we businesses are the backbone of our economy, worked with Congress to pass the No Child and interestingly enough, according to the Left Behind Act. This act raises standards most recent data, more than 1.5 million small and accountability across schools in the coun- businesses are owned by Hispanic owners. try, and I’m pleased to report Hispanic stu- In times of economic uncertainty, we need dents are scoring at alltime highs on tests, to be promoting free trade, particularly with and therefore, an achievement gap is nar- friends in our neighborhood. During my time rowing. as President, we’ve opened up trade agree- For hundreds of thousands of Hispanic ments with a lot of nations, including nations children, the best hope for good education is found in America’s faith-based schools. * White House correction.

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in Central America and in South America. I’m especially proud to be the Commander But there’s a couple of them that need to in Chief of a military in which there’s 225,000 be approved by the United States Congress. Hispanic men and women. One of these We approved the free trade agreement with hispanos is an Army Lieutenant Colonel Peru, but we’re waiting on Congress to ap- named Enrique Guerra. Listen to his story: prove the free trade agreements with Pan- Enrique fled Cuba with his parents when he ama and Colombia. was an infant. They wanted their young child I’m confident in our economy’s long-term to grow up in a society that was free and prospects. We’ll get through this deal. And hopeful. He spent more than 22 years in the the reason why I’m confident is because we Army National Guard and the Army Reserve. got the most talented and productive workers Today, he is a battalion commander at Camp in the world. And many are Hispanic men Cropper in Iraq, helping the people in the and women who work hard every single day Middle East secure their own freedom and, to support their families. therefore, lay the foundation of peace for One promise of America is the compassion generations to come. of our people. During my time in office, I’ve Enrique puts it this way: ‘‘As a Cuban been proud to work with Hispanic Americans America, I was born with a strong sense of to lift up nuestros hermanos y hermanas in patriotism, and that is why I serve.’’ And need. I established the USA Freedom Corps today I’m proud to honor his service, and to foster a culture of citizenship and respon- the service of all Hispanic Americans, who sibility and service. And today nearly 61 mil- ensure that freedom is available to all. lion Americans volunteer their time to help Enrique, bienvenidos. Thank you for coming. our fellow citizens—many of them Hispanics. Thank you, sir. Through our Faith-Based and Community And so today we celebrate the many con- Initiative, we are harnessing the compassion tributions that generations of Hispanics have of religious groups to reduce homelessness made to the American Dream. Their cre- and break the chains of addiction, give pris- ativity and determination help our country oners a second chance, and alleviate suffering to live up to its promise of opportunity and at home and abroad. prosperity and freedom for all our citizens. Recently I met a woman from San Diego During Hispanic Heritage Month, we give whose life has been transformed by Amer- thanks for these blessings, and we ask for ica’s armies of compassion. Edith Espinoza God’s continued blessings on you and your suffered terrible abuse from her husband. families, y los Estados Unidos. She turned to El Nido program, an interfaith And now it’s my honor to welcome one shelter network supported by the Faith- of Latin America’s most popular young vocal- Based and Community Initiative. El Nido is ists, Colombia’s Andres Cabas. a place where Edith received counseling and learned how to get a job and save money. NOTE: The President spoke at 2:10 p.m. on the She and her daughters now live in an apart- South Lawn at the White House. In his remarks, ment that she pays on her own. Her goal he referred to former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida is to become a social worker so she can help and his wife Columba. The Office of the Press other families like hers. She is showing that Secretary also released a Spanish language tran- because of the good hearts of our citizens, script of these remarks. el Sueno Americano es por todos. One promise of America is freedom—free- dom for all. Hispanic Americans are extend- Executive Order 13476—Facilitation ing this country’s promise of freedom and of a Presidential Transition liberty to others. Hispanics serving in Af- October 9, 2008 ghanistan and Iraq, to help those young de- mocracies realize the blessings of freedom. By the authority vested in me as President I particularly want to thank those who are by the Constitution and the laws of the working to hasten the day of freedom for the United States of America, including section Cuban people. 7301 of title 5, United States Code, and the

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Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Preven- information relevant to facilitating the per- tion Act of 2004 (Public Law 108–458) sonnel aspects of a presidential transition and (IRTPA), and in order to further the pur- such other information that, in the Council’s poses of the Presidential Transition Act of judgment, is useful and appropriate, as long 1963, as amended, and to assist the presi- as providing such information is not other- dential transition, it is hereby ordered as fol- wise prohibited by law. lows: (d) In order to obtain a wide range of facts Section 1. Presidential Transition Coordi- and information on prior transitions and best nation. (a) To assist and support the transi- practices, the Council, its members, or their tion efforts of the transition teams for the designees may, from time to time, seek infor- ‘‘major party’’ ‘‘candidates,’’ as those terms mation from private individuals, including in- are used in the IRTPA and defined in section dividuals within outside organizations, who 9002(2) and (6) of the Internal Revenue have significant experience or expertise in Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 9002(2), (6)), and presidential transitions. The Council, its the President-elect, there is established a members, or their designees shall endeavor Presidential Transition Coordinating Council to obtain such facts and information from in- (Council). dividuals representing a range of bipartisan (b) The Council shall be composed of the or nonpartisan viewpoints. If the Council, its following officials or their designees: members, or their designees find it necessary (i) Chief of Staff to the President, who to seek advice from private individuals or shall serve as Chair; outside organizations, such counsel should be (ii) Assistant to the President and Deputy sought in a manner that seeks individual ad- Chief of Staff for Operations, who shall vice and does not involve collective judgment serve as Vice Chair; or deliberation. (iii) Assistant to the President and Deputy (e) It shall be the policy of the Council Chief of Staff for Policy; to provide appropriate information and as- (iv) Counsel to the President; sistance to the major party candidates on an (v) Assistant to the President for Presi- equal basis and without regard for party af- dential Personnel; filiation. (vi) Assistant to the President for National Sec. 2. Transition Activities and Materials. Security Affairs; (a) At the direction of the Council or its des- (vii) Assistant to the President for Home- ignee(s), the Administrator of General Serv- land Security and Counterterrorism; ices shall coordinate orientation activities (viii) Assistant to the President for Eco- with the appropriate agencies, including the nomic Policy and Director, National Office of Government Ethics and the Office Economic Council; of Personnel Management, for key prospec- (ix) Attorney General; tive presidential appointees. (x) Director of National Intelligence; (b) At the direction of the Council or its (xi) Director of the Office of Management designee(s), the White House Office of Presi- and Budget; dential Personnel shall supplement as appro- (xii) Director of the Office of Personnel priate and necessary the electronic record of Management; all title 5 presidentially appointed positions (xiii) Administrator of General Services; provided by the Office of Personnel Manage- (xiv) Archivist of the United States; ment to the major party candidates pursuant (xv) Director of the Office of Government to section 8403(b) of IRTPA. Ethics; and (c) The Suitability and Security Clearance (xvi) Such others as the President or the Performance Accountability Council shall co- Chair of the Council may select. ordinate with the Council when performing (c) The Council shall assist the major party those functions authorized by Executive candidates and the President-elect by making Order 13467 of June 30, 2008, that are nec- every reasonable effort to facilitate the transi- essary to assist in transition-related activities. tion between administrations. This assistance (d) At the direction of the Council or its may include, among other things, providing designee(s), executive departments and

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agencies shall prepare a set of briefing mate- [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, rials for new political appointees before the 8:45 a.m., October 10, 2008] inauguration of the President-elect. The cur- NOTE: This Executive order will be published in rent Administration shall work with the in- the Federal Register on October 14. coming transition team to provide copies of all such materials. (e) At the direction of the Council or its Memorandum on Waiver and designee(s) and consistent with the Presi- Certification of Statutory Provisions dential Transition Act of 1963, as amended, Regarding the Palestine Liberation the Administrator of General Services, in Organization Office consultation with the Archivist of the United October 9, 2008 States and other appropriate agencies, shall develop a Transition Directory. This direc- Presidential Determination No. 2009–03 tory shall include Federal publications and other materials that provide information on Memorandum for the Secretary of State each executive department and agency. Sec. 3. Transition Agreements. To assist Subject: Waiver and Certification of and support the transition, transition agree- Statutory Provisions Regarding the Palestine ments between the White House or appro- Liberation Organization Office priate executive branch departments and Pursuant to the authority and conditions agencies and the transition teams for the contained in section 634(d) of the Depart- major party candidates and the President- ment of State, Foreign Operations and Re- elect will be entered into, as necessary, re- lated Programs Appropriations Act, 2008 garding transition procedures and identifica- (Division J, Public Law 110–161), as carried tion of transition contacts. forward by the Continuing Appropriations Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) In order Resolution, 2009 (Division A, Public Law to take appropriate account of the transition 110–329), I hereby determine and certify reforms made by IRTPA and to further up- that it is important to the national security date and clarify the presidential transition interests of the United States to waive the process, this order supersedes Executive provisions of section 1003 of the Anti-Ter- Order 13176 of November 27, 2000. rorism Act of 1987, Public Law 100–204. (b) Nothing in this order shall be con- This waiver shall be effective for a period strued to impair or otherwise affect: of 6 months from the date hereof. You are (i) authority granted by law to a depart- hereby authorized and directed to transmit ment or agency, or the head thereof; or this determination to the Congress and to (ii) functions of the Director of the Office publish it in the Federal Register. of Management and Budget relating to George W. Bush budget, administrative, or legislative proposals. (c) This order is intended only to facilitate Remarks on the National Economy the transition and is not intended to, and October 10, 2008 does not, create any right or benefit, sub- stantive or procedural, enforceable at law or Good morning. Over the past few days, we in equity, by any party against the United have witnessed a startling drop in the stock States, its agencies, instrumentalities, or enti- market, much of it driven by uncertainty and ties, its officers, employees, or agents, or any fear. This has been a deeply unsettling period other person. for the American people. Many of our citi- (d) Unless extended by the President, this zens have serious concerns about their retire- order shall expire on February 20, 2009. ment accounts, their investments, and their economic well-being. George W. Bush Here’s what the American people need to The White House, know: That the United States Government October 9, 2008. is acting; we will continue to act to resolve

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this crisis and restore stability to our markets. in one of these insured accounts, every penny We are a prosperous nation with immense of that money is safe. The Treasury Depart- resources and a wide range of tools at our ment has also acted to restore confidence in disposal. We’re using these tools aggressively. a key element of America’s financial system The fundamental problem is this: As the by offering government insurance for money housing market has declined, banks holding market mutual funds. assets related to home mortgages have suf- Thirdly, we are concerned that some inves- fered serious losses. As a result of these tors could take advantage of the crisis to ille- losses, many banks lack the capital or the gally manipulate the stock market. So the Se- confidence in each other to make new loans. curities and Exchange Commission has In turn, our system of credit has frozen, launched rigorous enforcement actions to de- which is keeping American businesses from tect fraud and manipulation in the market. financing their daily transactions and creating The SEC is focused on preventing abusive uncertainty throughout our economy. practices, such as putting out false informa- This uncertainty has led to anxiety among tion to drive down particular stocks for per- our people, and that is understandable. That sonal gain. Anyone caught engaging in illegal anxiety can feed anxiety, and that can make financial activities will be prosecuted. it hard to see all that is being done to solve Fourth, the decline in the housing market the problem. The Federal Government has has left many Americans struggling to meet a comprehensive strategy and the tools nec- their mortgages—and are concerned about essary to address the challenges in our econ- losing their homes. My administration has omy. Fellow citizens, we can solve this crisis, launched two initiatives to help responsible and we will. borrowers keep their homes. One is called Here are the problems we face and the HOPE NOW, and it brings together home- steps we are taking. owners and lenders and mortgage servicers First, key markets are not functioning be- and others to find ways to prevent fore- cause there’s a lack of liquidity, the grease closure. The other initiative is aimed at mak- necessary to keep the gears of our financial ing it easier for responsible homeowners to system turning. So the Federal Reserve has refinance into affordable mortgages insured injected hundreds of billions of dollars into by the Federal Housing Administration. So the system. The Fed has joined with central far, these programs have helped more than banks around the world to coordinate a cut 2 million Americans stay in their home. And in interest rates. This rate cut will allow banks the point is this: If you are struggling to meet to borrow money more affordably, and it your mortgage, there are ways that you can should help free up additional credit nec- get help. essary to create jobs and finance college edu- With these actions to help to prevent fore- cations and help American families meet closures, we’re addressing a key problem in their daily needs. The Fed has also an- the housing market: The supply of homes nounced a new program to provide support now exceeds demand. And as a result, home for the commercial paper market, which is values have declined. Once supply and de- freezing up. As the new program kicks in mand balance out, our housing market will over the next week or so, it will help revive be able to recover, and that will help our a key source of short-term financing for broader economy begin to grow. American businesses and financial institu- Fifth, we’ve seen that problems in the fi- tions. nancial system are not isolated to the United Second, some Americans are concerned States. They’re also affecting other nations about whether their money is safe. So the around the globe. So we’re working closely Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and with partners around the world to ensure that the National Credit Union Administration our actions are coordinated and effective. To- have significantly expanded the amount of morrow I’ll meet with the finance ministers money insured in savings accounts and from our partners in the G–7 and the heads checking accounts and certificates of deposit. of the International Monetary Fund and That means that if you have up to $250,000 World Bank. Secretary Paulson will also meet

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with finance ministers from the world’s 20 Proclamation—National School leading economies. Through these efforts, Lunch Week, 2008 the world is sending an unmistakable signal: October 10, 2008 We’re in this together, and we’ll come through this together. By the President of the United States And finally, American businesses and con- of America sumers are struggling to obtain credit, be- cause banks do not have sufficient capital to A Proclamation make loans. So my administration worked During National School Lunch Week, we with Congress to quickly pass a $700 billion underscore the importance of providing financial rescue package. This new law au- America’s children with access to nutritious thorizes the Treasury Department to use a meals and helping them develop good eating variety of measures to help bank rebuild cap- habits through the National School Lunch ital, including buying or insuring troubled as- Program. sets and purchasing equity of financial insti- The National School Lunch Program is a tutions. The Department will implement federally assisted meal program administered measures that have maximum impact as by the Department of Agriculture’s Food and quickly as possible. Seven hundred billion Nutrition Service in cooperation with State dollars is a significant amount of money. And agencies. Since 1946, the National School as we act, we will do so in a way that is effec- Lunch Program has served more than 187 tive. billion lunches to students across America. The plan we are executing is aggressive. The program is designed to ensure that each It is the right plan. It will take time to have day millions of children are receiving the its full impact. It is flexible enough to adapt healthy food necessary to succeed by pro- as the situation changes, and it is big enough viding access to nutritious low-cost or free to work. meals. By serving well-balanced meals that The Federal Government will continue to are lower in fat and have plenty of fruits, take the actions necessary to restore stability vegetables, and whole-grain foods, this pro- to our financial markets and growth to our gram helps children learn healthy eating hab- economy. We have an outstanding economic its, reduce their risk of serious health prob- team carrying out this effort, led by Secretary lems, and perform better in the classroom. of the Treasury Hank Paulson, Federal Re- Throughout National School Lunch Week, serve Chairman Ben Bernanke, SEC Chair- we recognize the school officials and parents man Chris Cox, and FDIC Chair Sheila Bair. who encourage young people to develop I thank them and their dedicated teams for good eating habits. We also thank the dedi- their service during this important moment cated food service professionals who serve in our country’s history. our children healthy foods each day at school. This is an anxious time, but the American In recognition of the contributions of the people can be confident in our economic fu- National School Lunch Program to the ture. We know what the problems are, we health, education, and well-being of Amer- have the tools to fix them, and we’re working ica’s children, the Congress, by joint resolu- swiftly to do so. Our economy is innovative, tion of October 9, 1962 (Public Law 87–780), industrious, and resilient because the Amer- as amended, has designated the week begin- ican people who make up our economy are ning on the second Sunday in October of innovative, industrious, and resilient. We all each year as ‘‘National School Lunch Week’’ share a determination to solve this problem, and has requested the President to issue a and that is exactly what we’re going to do. proclamation in observance of this week. May God bless you. Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of America, NOTE: The President spoke at 10:25 a.m. in the do hereby proclaim the week of October 12 Rose Garden at the White House. The Office of through October 18, 2008, as National the Press Secretary also released a Spanish lan- School Lunch Week. I call upon all Ameri- guage transcript of these remarks. cans to join the dedicated individuals who

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administer the National School Lunch Pro- gress has requested (36 U.S.C. 107) that the gram in appropriate activities that support President proclaim the second Monday of the health and well-being of our Nation’s October of each year as ‘‘Columbus Day.’’ children. Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set President of the United States of America, my hand this tenth day of October, in the do hereby proclaim October 13, 2008, as Co- year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of lumbus Day. I call upon the people of the the Independence of the United States of United States to observe this day with appro- America the two hundred and thirty-third. priate ceremonies and activities. I also direct George W. Bush that the flag of the United States be displayed on all public buildings on the appointed day NOTE: At the time of publication, this proclama- in honor of Christopher Columbus. tion had not been received by the Office of the In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set Federal Register for assignment of a proclamation my hand this tenth day of October, in the number. year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of the Independence of the United States of Proclamation—Columbus Day, 2008 America the two hundred and thirty-third. October 10, 2008 George W. Bush By the President of the United States of America NOTE: At the time of publication, this proclama- A Proclamation tion had not been received by the Office of the Federal Register for assignment of a proclamation Christopher Columbus’ bold voyage across number. the Atlantic changed the world forever. On Columbus Day, we remember this Italian ex- plorer’s courage in traveling to the unknown Proclamation—General Pulaski and celebrate his landmark achievements Memorial Day, 2008 and lasting legacy. October 10, 2008 History holds remarkable examples of her- oism and adventure, and the journey of the By the President of the United States navigator from Genoa in 1492 is one of his- of America tory’s great stories of daring and bravery. Co- lumbus’ expedition became an epic of dis- covery and opened up the New World for A Proclamation future generations. His journey will forever On General Pulaski Memorial Day, we cel- stand as a testament to his intrepid spirit and ebrate General Casimir Pulaski’s selfless persistence. Today, his legacy of discovery dedication to the cause of freedom during and determination is an example for the American Revolution. innovators and dreamers as they pursue In our Nation’s struggle for independence, broader understanding and use their talents brave individuals such as Casimir Pulaski to benefit humanity. came to our shores and risked their lives to Columbus Day is also an opportunity to help bring liberty to a new continent. Gen- reaffirm the close ties between the United eral Pulaski fought first against Russian States and . Our two countries will con- domination of his Polish homeland and later tinue to work together to advance liberty, joined General George Washington’s Conti- peace, and prosperity around the globe. Our nental Army. Pulaski’s valor in battle and love Nation recognizes the many inspiring con- of freedom earned him the rank of Brigadier tributions made by Americans of Italian de- General and authority to organize an inde- scent. We also honor the dedication and sac- pendent corps of cavalry. Through his skilled rifice of Italian Americans who are serving leadership and cavalry tactics he became in our country’s Armed Forces. In com- known as the ‘‘Father of the American Cav- memoration of Columbus’ journey, the Con- alry.’’ During the siege of Savannah, General

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Pulaski was mortally wounded, making the Later in the afternoon, at a private resi- ultimate sacrifice for our country and the dence, the President and Mrs. Bush attended cause of freedom. a Congressional Trust 2008 reception. Later, General Pulaski’s life exemplifies the cour- they returned to the Bush Ranch in age and determination of the many Polish Crawford, TX. immigrants who have helped make the United States the greatest Nation on Earth. October 6 On General Pulaski Memorial Day, we rec- In the morning, the President had an intel- ognize our time-honored friendship with Po- ligence briefing. Later, he and Mrs. Bush land, and we are reminded of the great price traveled to San Antonio, TX, where, upon ar- our forefathers paid so that we might live rival, he met with USA Freedom Corps vol- in liberty. unteer Sonya McDonald. Then, at a private Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, residence, they attended a Congressional President of the United States of America, Trust 2008 reception. by virtue of the authority vested in me by Later in the morning, the President and the Constitution and laws of the United Mrs. Bush traveled to Cincinnati, OH, States, do hereby proclaim October 11, 2008, where, upon arrival in the afternoon, he met as General Pulaski Memorial Day. I urge with USA Freedom Corps volunteer Nancy Americans to commemorate this occasion Arnold. Later, they returned to Washington, with appropriate activities and ceremonies DC. honoring General Casimir Pulaski and all The President announced his intention to those who defend our freedom. designate Douglas A. Brook as Acting Under In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set Secretary of Defense (Comptroller). my hand this tenth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of October 7 the Independence of the United States of In the morning, the President had an intel- America the two hundred and thirty-third. ligence briefing. He then had separate tele- phone conversations with Prime Minister George W. Bush Gordon Brown of the and NOTE: At the time of publication, this proclama- President Nicolas Sarkozy of France to dis- tion had not been received by the Office of the cuss the global financial markets situation. Federal Register for assignment of a proclamation Later, on the South Lawn, he and Mrs. Bush number. participated in a photo opportunity with members of the 2008 U.S. summer Olympic and Paralympic teams. Later in the morning, the President had a telephone conversation with Prime Min- Digest of Other ister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy to discuss the White House Announcements global financial markets situation. In the afternoon, the President traveled to Chantilly, VA, where he toured Guernsey Of- The following list includes the President’s public schedule and other items of general interest an- fice Products, Inc. He then participated in nounced by the Office of the Press Secretary and a meeting on the financial markets situation not included elsewhere in this issue. with State and local business leaders. Later, he returned to Washington, DC. October 4 October 8 In the morning, at the Bush Ranch in In the morning, the President had an intel- Crawford, TX, the President had an intel- ligence briefing. Later, in the Oval Office, ligence briefing. Later, he and Mrs. Bush he met with Prime Minister Tillman Thomas traveled to Midland, TX, where, upon arrival of Grenada. in the afternoon, he met with USA Freedom During the day, the President had a tele- Corps volunteer Linda Fox. phone conversation with Chancellor Angela

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Merkel of Germany to discuss the global fi- eled to Charleston, SC, where, upon arrival nancial markets situation. in the evening at Charleston Air Force Base, The President declared a major disaster in he was joined by Mrs. Bush and met with North Carolina and ordered Federal aid to USA Freedom Corps volunteer Eileen supplement State and local recovery efforts Hadbavny. in the area struck by Tropical Storm Hanna Later in the evening, the President and from September 4–15. Mrs. Bush participated in a photo oppor- The President made additional disaster as- tunity and met with the 2008 Little League sistance available to Texas by authorizing an Softball World Series champion Simpsonville extension of 100 percent in the level of Fed- Stars. They then traveled to Kiawah Island, eral funding for debris removal and emer- SC, where, at the Sanctuary at Kiawah Is- gency protective measures undertaken as a land, they attended a Republican National result of Hurricane Ike that struck the State Committee reception. Later, they returned from September 7 to October 2. to Washington, DC. The President made additional disaster as- sistance available to Louisiana by authorizing an increase of 100 percent Federal funding for debris removal and emergency measures undertaken as a result of Hurricane Ike that Nominations struck the State beginning on September 11 Submitted to the Senate and continuing. NOTE: No nominations were submitted to the October 9 Senate during the period covered by this issue. In the morning, the President had an intel- ligence briefing. The President declared a major disaster in Kentucky and ordered Federal ais to supple- ment Commonwealth and local recovery ef- Checklist forts in the area struck by a severe wind of White House Press Releases storm associated with Tropical Depression Ike on September 14. The following list contains releases of the Office The President declared a major disaster in of the Press Secretary that are neither printed as Oklahoma and ordered Federal aid to sup- items nor covered by entries in the Digest of plement State and local recovery efforts in Other White House Announcements. the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding from September 12–16. Released October 6 The President announced his intention to designate Patrick A. Gorman as Acting Chief Transcript of a press gaggle by Deputy Press Information Officer at the Office of the Di- Secretary Scott M. Stanzel rector of National Intelligence. Fact sheet: Judges Who Honor the Constitu- tion October 10 In the morning, the President had an intel- Advance text of the President’s remarks to ligence briefing. Later, he traveled to Miami, the Cincinnati chapter of the Federalist Soci- FL, where, upon arrival in the afternoon, he ety in Cincinnati, Ohio met with USA Freedom Corps volunteer Released October 7 Teodoro Rodriguez. He then traveled to Coral Gables, FL. Transcript of a press briefing by Press Sec- Later in the afternoon, at a private resi- retary Dana Perino dence, the President attended a Congres- Statement by the Press Secretary on a Fed- sional Trust 2008 reception. Then, at Havana eral district court ordering the release of 17 Harry’s restaurant, he met with Cuban Chinese Uyghur detainees held at Guanta- American community leaders. Later, he trav- namo Bay

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Statement by the Press Secretary announcing Statement by the Press Secretary announcing that the President signed H.R. 923, H.R. that the President signed H.R. 2963, H.R. 1199, H.R. 5834, H.R. 5975, H.R. 6092, H.R. 3480, S. 1492, S. 1582, S. 2162, S. 2816, S. 6437, H.R. 6889, H.R. 6893, S. 3015, and 3023, S. 3128, and S. 3606 S. 3082 Fact sheet: Taking Urgently Needed Action To Stabilize Our Markets Released October 8 Acts Approved by the President Transcript of a press briefing by Press Sec- retary Dana Perino Approved October 7 Statement by the Press Secretary announcing that the President will deliver the keynote H.R. 923 / Public Law 110–344 speech at the White House Summit on Inter- Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime national Development: Sustaining the New Act of 2007 Era on October 21 H.R. 1199 / Public Law 110–345 Statement by the Press Secretary announcing Drug Endangered Children Act of 2007 that the President signed H.J. Res. 62, H.R. 1157, H.R. 1343, H.R. 3068, H.R. 3229, H.R. H.R. 5834 / Public Law 110–346 4120, H.R. 5001, H.R. 5057, H.R. 5265, H.R. North Korean Human Rights Reauthoriza- 5571, H.R. 5872, H.R. 6370, H.R. 6460, H.R. tion Act of 2008 6890, H.R. 6894, H.R. 6946, S. 496, S. 1046, S. 1382, S. 1810, S. 2482, S. 2606, S. 2932, H.R. 5975 / Public Law 110–347 S. 2982, S. 3560, and S. 3597 To designate the facility of the United States Statement by the Press Secretary on disaster Postal Service located at 101 West Main assistance to Louisiana Street in Waterville, New York, as the ‘‘Cpl. John P. Sigsbee Post Office’’ Statement by the Press Secretary on disaster assistance to North Carolina H.R. 6092 / Public Law 110–348 Statement by the Press Secretary on disaster To designate the facility of the United States assistance to Texas Postal Service located at 101 Tallapoosa Street in Bremen, Georgia, as the ‘‘Sergeant Released October 9 Paul Saylor Post Office Building’’ Transcript of a press briefing by Press Sec- H.R. 6437 / Public Law 110–349 retary Dana Perino To designate the facility of the United States Statement by the Press Secretary announcing Postal Service located at 200 North Texas Av- that the President signed H.R. 2851 and S. enue in Odessa, Texas, as the ‘‘Corporal Al- 2840 fred Mac Wilson Post Office’’ Statement by the Press Secretary on disaster H.R. 6889 / Public Law 110–350 assistance to Kentucky To extend the authority of the Secretary of Statement by the Press Secretary on disaster Education to purchase guaranteed student assistance to Oklahoma loans for an additional year, and for other purposes Released October 10 Transcript of a press gaggle by Press Sec- H.R. 6893 / Public Law 110–351 retary Dana Perino Fostering Connections to Success and In- creasing Adoptions Act of 2008 Statement by Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy Karl Zinmeister on the Con- S. 3015 / Public Law 110–352 necticut State Supreme Court ruling on To designate the facility of the United States same-sex marriage Postal Service located at 18 S. G Street,

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Lakeview, Oregon, as the ‘‘Dr. Bernard Daly H.R. 6460 / Public Law 110–365 Post Office Building’’ Great Lakes Legacy Reauthorization Act of 2008 S. 3082 / Public Law 110–353 To designate the facility of the United States H.R. 6890 / Public Law 110–366 Postal Service located at 1700 Cleveland Av- To extend the waiver authority for the Sec- enue in Kansas City, Missouri, as the ‘‘Rev- retary of Education under section 105 of sub- erend Earl Abel Post Office Building’’ title A of title IV of division B of Public Law 109–148, relating to elementary and sec- Approved October 8 ondary education hurricane recovery relief, H.R. 1157 / Public Law 110–354 and for other purposes Breast Cancer and Environmental Research H.R. 6894 / Public Law 110–367 Act of 2008 Defense Production Act Extension and Re- H.R. 1343 / Public Law 110–355 authorization of 2008 Health Care Safety Net Act of 2008 H.R. 6946 / Public Law 110–368 H.R. 3068 / Public Law 110–356 To make a technical correction in the NET Federal Protective Service Guard Con- 911 Improvement Act of 2008 tracting Reform Act of 2008 H.R. 7081 / Public Law 110–369 H.R. 3229 / Public Law 110–357 United States-India Nuclear Cooperation National Infantry Museum and Soldier Cen- Approval and Nonproliferation Enhance- ter Commemorative Coin Act ment Act H.R. 4120 / Public Law 110–358 H.J. Res. 62 / Public Law 110–370 To amend title 18, United States Code, to Native American Heritage Day Act of 2008 provide for more effective prosecution of cases involving child pornography, and for S. 496 / Public Law 110–371 other purposes Appalachian Regional Development Act Amendments of 2008 H.R. 5001 / Public Law 110–359 Old Post Office Building Redevelopment Act S. 1046 / Public Law 110–372 of 2008 Senior Professional Performance Act of 2008 H.R. 5057 / Public Law 110–360 S. 1382 / Public Law 110–373 Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act of 2008 ALS Registry Act H.R. 5265 / Public Law 110–361 S. 1810 / Public Law 110–374 Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Condi- Community Assistance, Research, and Edu- tions Awareness Act cation Amendments of 2008 S. 2482 / Public Law 110–375 H.R. 5571 / Public Law 110–362 To repeal the provision of title 46, United To extend for 5 years the program relating States Code, requiring a license for employ- to waiver of the foreign country residence ment in the business of salvaging on the coast requirement with respect to international of Florida medical graduates, and for other purposes S. 2606 / Public Law 110–376 H.R. 5872 / Public Law 110–363 To reauthorize the United States Fire Ad- Boy Scouts of America Centennial Com- ministration, and for other purposes memorative Coin Act S. 2932 / Public Law 110–377 H.R. 6370 / Public Law 110–364 Poison Center Support, Enhancement, and Oregon Surplus Federal Land Act of 2008 Awareness Act of 2008

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S. 2982 / Public Law 110–378 broadband services and to promote the de- Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act of 2008 ployment of affordable broadband services to all parts of the Nation S. 3560 / Public Law 110–379 QI Program Supplemental Funding Act of 2008 S. 1582 / Public Law 110–386 Hydrographic Services Improvement Act S. 3597 / Public Law 110–380 Amendments of 2008 To provide that funds allocated for commu- nity food projects for fiscal year 2008 shall S. 2162 / Public Law 110–387 remain available until September 30, 2009 Veterans’ Mental Health and Other Care Im- Approved October 9 provements Act of 2008

H.R. 2851 / Public Law 110–381 S. 2816 / Public Law 110–388 Michelle’s Law To provide for the appointment of the Chief S. 2840 / Public Law 110–382 Human Capital Officer of the Department Military Personnel Citizenship Processing of Homeland Security by the Secretary of Act Homeland Security

Approved October 10 S. 3023 / Public Law 110–389 H.R. 2963 / Public Law 110–383 Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act of 2008 Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2007 S. 3128 / Public Law 110–390 White Mountain Apache Tribe Rural Water H.R. 3480 / Public Law 110–384 System Loan Authorization Act Let Our Veterans Rest in Peace Act of 2008 S. 1492 / Public Law 110–385 S. 3606 / Public Law 110–391 To improve the quality of Federal and State Special Immigrant Nonminister Religious data regarding the availability and quality of Worker Program Act

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